Another Time Another Place
by strange1
Summary: Uberfic. X/G are here in spirit. Sam Walker is a detective for the special victims unit and has a thing for the ladies. Abby Jones is a nurse that is unhappily married. They meet when tragedy strikes one of them. Will they find one another in this lifetime? Most characters are based on ones from show. Can you tell who is who?
1. Chapter 1

AN-This is an uber fanfiction. This is another of the lives Xena and Gabrielle have shared through time. This time Xena is known as Samantha (Sam) Walker and is a detective in New York in the special victims unit. Gabrielle is known as Abigail (Abby) Jones and is a nurse. There will be familiar characters in my story based on characters from the show. Will you be able to tell who is who? This is a love story between two women. There will be some graphic violence as well as sexual content. I hope you enjoy. Please review!

Samantha Walker, better known as Sam to her friends, was running late. Her shift in the special victims unit was to start in just ten minutes. It would not be the first time that the detective ran late in the short time since starting her job but it irritated her to no end. It had only been a year since she had moved to New York from the small area of Middletown New York. It was an adjustment on all levels but navigating in the larger than life city was still the worst. Still she was bound and determined to get to work on time.

The tall dark haired woman toyed with the idea of putting on her sirens but figured that would be worse than showing up late. So the woman sat impatiently at the red stop light waiting for it to change. She had the police radio blaring at her and all the numbers were making her cringe inwardly. Part of her wished that she had stayed in her small town and just be another one of the two homicide detectives that got used only once or twice a year. But too much had happened to her to stay there and she needed a fresh start.

New York had been the first position that the job hunter had found for her. The woman had said that she had never actually been hired by a police officer before to find a job. It made the woman of thirty one smile to herself. Not one that she was made of money by any means she had spent a good portion of her moving money to pay the woman to find her the position and quickly. That was just how badly she needed out of the small town.

Sam cringed just thinking about the mess that she had left back in the smaller city. While she had been known by most in the smaller city as somewhat of a ladies' lady one particular lady had taken it to either test that theory or to try and change her. She was never sure what the reason behind it was. All she knew was that she had found a very dedicated admirer that was not taking hell no for an answer. That left an unsettling feeling as she hoped that she had seen the last of Leslie Wilson.

In fact the paranoid detective had sworn she had seen the slightly younger redheaded woman about two blocks from her apartment. After showing her picture around the building and to the building manager as well as some of the other apartment buildings and no one recognized her Sam had thought that she had imagined the whole thing. And yet her gut kept telling her that her first instinct was right. It was something she would follow up on as soon as her caseload dwindled though being in New York it might never dwindle.

The detective drummed her fingertips against the stirring wheel cursing softly at the light that seemed stubborn to change. She pulled out her cell phone and pushed the button she had setup to dial her partner. Her partner was a man almost forty years old and had dark brown hair with a touch of gray. He was just starting to get a little bit of a gut but overall he was a decent enough looking guy although he was goofy as the day was long. They had hit it off as he prided himself a prize with the ladies much as she did.

"You late again, Walker?" The sureness in the tone irritated the younger woman just a little but allowed it to roll off as she figured that she was just irritated from getting stuck in traffic and a traffic light that was stuck in park not willing to go anywhere. "I'll get us some coffee and meet you as soon as you can grace us with your presence." His laugh was that of a drunkard man one of the few things that irritated the woman about her partner as even his goofiness was tolerable.

"Why don't you get us some donuts too while you're being such a jackass." Sam slammed her cell phone shut just as the light finally turned green. Instead of holstering the phone she decided just to toss it in the passenger seat. It would still be in reach should someone call or text her. Slowly she pressed on the gas pedal as there were still people in the crosswalk. Finally she was able to gun it only to have something slam into the side of her car.

Glass was everywhere and the driver door was bent in on her. There was blood everywhere as she had slammed her head into the door frame. Her neck hurt as did her left leg. The air bag had deployed and it had smashed into her chest making it hurt as well. She tried to move but found that her leg was pinned by the door into stirring wheel. Several curses escaped the young woman. Her phone was now too far away for her to reach and the police radio was sparking so she knew that wasn't an option.

Sam managed to look around her and took in that a rather large garbage truck had apparently run the red light and was the reason that her vehicle now looked like a soda can that had been used in a game of street hockey. She put her head back against the head rest trying to ease the pain in her neck. Her eyes remained open as she figured that closing her eyes now would probably be a bad thing. In her time as a police officer she had seen enough with concussions and having a few herself to know what it was like.

It seemed like forever before she heard sirens followed by screeching tires. Flashing lights just barely caught her eye as things were blurry another sign that she had a concussion. This was just great. Not that she was going to miss work though she hated leaving cases open and at the moment she was working on three rape cases at the same time. What she hated was being sick and depending on anyone. She was strong and was the one that usually took care of everyone else.

In fact she had been the one to take care of her mother when she was only twenty. She had just finished the second year of college when her mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Luckily they had caught it in the early stages but her mother had required a lot of attention with the radiation and chemotherapy treatments. The treatments had made her sicker than the cancer had but in the long run it had been worth it as her mother was now cancer free.

That was part of the reason that she had decided to forgo the rest of her college. Already she had been majoring in criminal justice so the leap to applying to the police academy was the next logical step. She had toyed with joining the marines but decided against it only because of their policy on homosexuals. True things were not like they used to be in the military but she just didn't feel comfortable with the fact that she would have to hide who she was.

Sam was into the ladies and she really didn't care who knew. Having to hide a part of her really irritated her. Luckily Middletown was small but they were less conservative than some of the surrounding areas. The big city of New York had been an adjustment even for someone as open about her sexuality as the young woman was. Used to being the aggressor there had been several advances by women in her own department let alone when she was just walking down the street.

A voice was trying to get her attention and she tried to focus on the voice. A blurry face of a dark skinned man with greying hair came into focus. Even with blurry vision she recognized the large implement known to the lay person as the Jaws of Life. Sam managed to give a 'thumbs up' and in just a moment or two the loudness of the machine was making her already pounding head pound worse. But she knew that it was what had to be done to get her out of the car.

It seemed to take forever but finally the young woman was on a stretcher. There was a small blond man and a larger redheaded man directing the stretcher to the awaiting ambulance. The jostling made her want to be sick but she managed to keep herself from vomiting. An IV was administered as were a series of questions none of them was she really sure of the answer to. Even hurting like she was she knew this was all bad signs and just hoped that it wouldn't take too long to recover.

Sirens were once again blaring as the ambulance got on its way along with its trio of passengers. Sam tried to keep herself focused on the voice that kept asking her questions but her mind kept going back to her mother. What if something happened and the cancer returned? Would either of her brothers step up and help this time? Both of them had families unlike her but still she was their mother too. Her younger brother had relieved her a couple times but not her older brother. A sigh escaped her as she remembered just how weak her mother had been during that time.

Finally she allowed her eyes to close as she knew that she was at least in some kind of medical care. They could worry if it was a good thing or not if she slept or moved or whatever. Her head was hurting. Her body was hurting. The one thing that wasn't hurting was her heart as she was glad to be footloose and fancy free. The only bad thing was who would take care of her when it was time to go home from the hospital? That question made her cringe.

()()()()()()()()()()()

The petite blond woman sat in the lounge sipping her coffee. She had spent her entire shift in the ER and was exhausted. The nurse never minded working in the ER but was grateful that the hospital had a policy of rotating the nursing and doctor staff of the ER every six weeks. While she loved the fast pace and the hands on of working in the ER she also got very emotionally and physically exhausted and the grind of going from room to room was a welcome thing indeed.

Abigail, Abby to her friends, Jones was a twenty seven year old registered nurse practitioner. While most RNP's worked in either small doctor offices or large clinics the blond had always wanted to help people. True she could do a lot to help people in any situation but there was something about the emergency room. These people usually needed immediate care or there were the ones that made her cringe. The ones that the police brought in for treatment. Being in New York City she saw a lot of heinous crimes.

Abby picked up the newspaper that someone had left in the lounge trying to take her mind off the latest of these nasty crimes. A woman had been brought in around three in the morning. She had been raped and then scrubbed raw with bleach trying to hide any evidence. The woman would be lucky to keep her eyesight. These were the things that haunted her sleep at night. There were things that she would never forget as hard as she tried and as long as she lived.

There was nothing really interesting in the newspaper so she tossed it across the table. The nurse looked up as a handful of doctors and nurses walked into the lounge. Most were either coming off shift like she was soon to be or were almost ready to start their day. One of the doctors, a tall dark haired man with a goatee and sideburns, made his way over to the table with a coffee of his own and sat down. The blond woman's green eyes refused to look at the man that was her husband.

They sat in silence for the longest time. Idly she began playing with her wedding band. They had been married just shy of two years and already she knew it was a mistake. He was not the same man that she had dated for one. Once they had gotten married he treated her more like property than a person and she was beginning to hate him more than words could say. The other reason was something that had stirred in her while she was away at camp just before her senior year of high school.

Her parents had sent her away because she had shown a little too much affection for her best friend, a woman. At the time she had not understood what the big deal was and her friend never said anything to her about it. While at the camp, something happened that she had begun having dreams about again. There had been this stunning looking redhead that had taken her under her wing. One night they had snuck out of their cabin and went to an isolated cabin. One thing had led to another. It had scared Abby because it was her first time with anyone and yet looking back it had felt so right.

When she had gotten back she had found that her best friend was no longer her best friend. In fact most of her friends had decided there was something different about her and had distanced themselves from her. Later she had found out that one of the camp councilors had saw what happened and informed her parents who had then gone to her best friend's parents. It had spread like a wild fire throughout the school. While New York was a more open minded a private school was not.

Her last year of high school had been quite lonely. It wasn't until she was off at nursing school that things had turned around. One of her teachers was now her husband. To make ends meet for medical school he had taken on the teaching assignment. They had hit it off right away and she had thought that her experience in high school had just been one of those experiments that teenagers go through. But the past year had found her noticing other women instead of men.

It confused and excited her. The confusion was because she really had thought that she had really been just experimenting in her teens. Exciting because as the weeks went on she wanted a new life away from her dominating husband that was getting more and more agitated over the past six months. Being an emergency room nurse she had seen a lot of battered women and vowed not to become one of them. She now just needed to get the courage to go through with that vow.

Dr. Kevin Jones eyed his shorter petite blond wife. He had noticed a distance growing between them. He was not one to give up on anything and this woman was his. She had better think twice about leaving him. But that was for another day. Right now he was about to go on shift and she was about to end hers. Part of him hoped that the distance he felt was the fact that they were like two ships passing in the night. "So, long night?"

Abby finally looked at her husband. His gaze was cool and a touch possessive. It was really grating on her. But as she always had she put on a happy face. "Had one bad rape victim." The blond began rubbing her eyes. Because of the stress of the emergency room and the stress of her deteriorating marriage she found herself exhausted almost every second of every day even when she managed to get a good day's sleep. "The bastard used bleach on every square inch of her."

Even as cold hearted as the doctor could be he cringed in reflex. Being an emergency room doctor for the past three years had meant that he had seen just about everything. The last woman that had had similar treatment had ended up blind and losing hearing in one of her ears. It was the one thing he hated about his job. "Damn." The doctor took a sip of his coffee. He was about to say something more when a page asking for his wife came out of the speaker. "Looks like you get one more case."

The last word was said in mocking, Abby knew. While she could do just about all the things he could do he still belittled the profession of a nurse. It was funny because most doctors understood just how badly they needed the assistance of a good nurse. Not her husband though as he thought he could do everything all by himself and in fact it was better when he did. "Looks like it. I'll see you when you get home." Not even thinking of showing any kind of affection she just walked away from him.

Dr. Jones watched his wife walk quickly out the door. It wasn't the first time in the past few weeks that she had not even tried to kiss or touch him in anyway. He was not stupid. He knew that she was pulling further and further away from him. If he'd been a truly caring man he would have set up a romantic dinner or maybe a weekend getaway. But not the doctor. He would rather just use force to get his way and that was something he didn't want to do but was feeling soon he'd have no choice.

Abby took a moment to lean against the wall just outside the lounge to get her thoughts into order. Every time she was around her husband as of late her heart ached because of the stress. It was not how she wanted to spend her life and she vowed that within the next two weeks she would manage to see a divorce lawyer. It would have to be discreet and in fact she would probably ask her friend and fellow nurse to receive any documents or phone calls for her.

Was she being paranoid to go that far? Perhaps but she also had dealings enough with the special victim units to know just how far a possessive and vindictive husband could go. While not getting quite that feeling from her husband she was not going to take any chances. The nurse took a deep breath before she forced herself toward the emergency room. She made her way over to the nurse's station and looked at the eraser board. Car accident victim coming in about five minutes away.

The nurse got herself ready with the usual tools of her trade ready to move quickly depending on just how bad the accident was. Usually accident victims here in the city were not all that bad because high speeds were not a problem in the congested streets. The worst accidents involved cars and pedestrians or bikers. The blond nurse made her way to one of the sinks and scrubbed her hands and arms up to the elbows. She took some paper towels and dried them and got a fresh pair of rubber gloves on.

Abby was ready and stood just beside the ER doors waiting for the ambulance to arrive. One of the doctors that she worked with had come up beside her. He too was scrubbed and ready for whatever was coming their way. It was only mere minutes after they had readied themselves when the ambulance pulled in the sirens still blaring away. The sound always made the nurse cringe. The sound of beeping was in her ear as the vehicle was backing up toward the door.

The doors to the ambulance flew open and a man came around from the driver's side. They eased the stretcher out of the back of the ambulance. Abby's breath caught just for a moment at the sight of the woman on the stretcher. Of course her body was battered and bloody from the accident but that was not what made her breath catch. The woman was dark haired not too much older than she was and was tall. Her body was in great shape in fact was probably the most attractive body she'd ever seen in her life.

That thought hit her like a ton of bricks. While she had been having those dreams again and finding herself attractive to women once again. But this was different. This was her almost not being able to breath seeing the woman lying unconscious on the stretcher. It was even more amazing that she was feeling this way because of the fact that the woman was bruised and bloodied. For just a moment eyes opened revealing the most intriguing blue eyes she had ever seen before.

It caused her breath once again to catch in her throat and it took several calls of her name for her to react. She shook her head trying to get back into the game. It was all just because she was tired, right? The instant connection she felt to this horribly injured woman that was a complete stranger to her. Or was she? After her mind really began to see past all the blood and the bruises she felt there was something familiar about the woman. But she could not place it.

All of a sudden instead of the doctor that had been there her husband was beside her. It was unusual because normally her husband would not even think about coming on duty early unlike herself that would come early and stay late. That had been before the relationship had begun to go south in her mind. It had been since she had started her first job. It had impressed all the doctors she worked with and the administrators of the hospital. In fact, she had a very good relationship with most of the administrators on a personal level.

The blue eyes of her patient caught her green ones once again. This time though she was able to focus on her husband's voice. She checked the IV then she checked the woman's vitals. The heartbeat was a little thready and the eyes were unfocused. Her heart went out immediately to the woman whose eyes just would not leave hers. _Is she having the same feeling I had about knowing her? Or was there something more?_

Abby shook this off and concentrated. She concentrated on all the orders her husband was giving her. She was concentrating on her own observations of the woman's condition. Though she trusted most of the doctors she also liked to perform her own diagnosis. Compound fracture of the leg which would require surgery to repair. A gash upon the right side of her head that would require several stitches. A deep bruise across the chest most likely caused by the air bag but not appearing to have done any damage to the ribs.

X-rays of course would have to be done to confirm the severity of all the injuries. A CAT scan and maybe an MRI to see if there was any injury to the brain. The woman was going to be side lined for quite a while. The nurse's heart immediately went out the patient once again. Their eyes met once more. There was a lot of pain there but something else. Abby wished she could tell what it was. Carefully she removed all the clothing from the woman who was now sedated.

It was the first time that Abby's body had a reaction to a patient's body. Her entire body was instantly on fire. It was a sexual heat, the nurse knew. It was one she had never gotten from her husband or anyone for that matter. _What is wrong with me? I have to be a professional and not ogle the patient. But she is just so beautiful and amazing and…_ Her name being practically screamed by her husband's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

She simply shrugged and wrote down a few more orders for tests and medications. The woman was being carted off to prepare for surgery. She knew that as soon as the woman's x-rays were back she would be in surgery for at least the broken leg. Another nurse entered the room and that meant that her shift was officially over and her husband's was officially started. She watched the woman for a moment through the window of the double door of the emergency room.

Once again her guts ignited into flames. Without even thinking about it she made it to the nurse's locker room and gathered her bathing things. She took the coldest shower she had ever taken and still it had not helped. It felt crazy to her to be this attracted to a woman that she had never seen before. It felt crazy for her to have been so distracted while helping perform the examination. In a way though for some strange reason it felt like her life was just beginning. But how could that be?


	2. Chapter 2

"Gabrielle!" It was Sam's voice that had yelled in a panic but never had she know anyone by that name and she'd known a lot of ladies over the years. When she looked down at herself she was dressed in some kind of black leather with some kind of metal on. The weight in her hand was a broad sword she knew that she had never even thought of using before. There were several men dressed grungily in leather and armor similar but very different from her own.

Those men were coming after her and they were coming after a young petite blond woman that's hair was long and with bangs. That woman had looked when her voice had called out the name so she assumed that this woman, who was wielding some kind of stick or staff, was Gabrielle. "Xena, I'm all right. Watch out behind you!" The young woman proceeded to take out two men at the same time one with a forward swing of the stick and then on the reverse of the swing motion.

_Nice!_ Not one that was into martial arts or their weapons Sam still appreciated a woman that could move like that and a woman that could defend herself from jerks. Sensing something she turned holding out the broad sword. There was a metal on metal clang and the force literally made the dark haired woman's arm sting from her hand all the way up to her elbow. Instinct seemed to take over and suddenly she was expertly swinging the sword.

Another move so natural it felt like breathing and Sam had summersaulted out of the way of two attackers from behind her. She got her balance and turned to take on both men at one time and still somehow managed to look at how the other woman was fairing. There were two men going after her. A quick scan showed that these four men were the last. Something in her heart told her to get it over with quickly so that she could be with the other woman.

Sam was beyond confused but just kept letting her body do what seemingly was coming natural to her. She put all thought aside and just let her body do what it wanted. In a way it was a good thing because she could watch the young woman who was now in trouble. Her free hand was reaching across her body as she held off both men's swords with her own. With the flick of her wrist a round metal object was flying through the air knocking both men's swords out of their hands.

In the blink of an eye the round object was returning and Sam had neatly caught the object and put it back to where she retrieved it. Now her body seemed to be able to focus solely on her two opponents and before she knew what was happening she had unarmed both men and knocked both of them out. She found herself kneeling next to the men checking for something again her body reacting without her really having a say in it.

A warm presence that she knew in an instant was the other part of her soul put a smile upon her face. Without even looking up she knew that the blond woman was standing right behind her leaning on her stick. Sure enough when she turned and looked at the spot she felt the warm presence coming from where the blond girl was. "Thanks for the help. I don't know what got into me. Usually I can handle two at a time. Guess I'm tired."

Sam looked around seeing nothing but foreign land. However she did notice that the sun was nearly setting and it was getting dark. "Probably just tired. Been a long day." Of course how would she know that when she was just getting here herself? The detective turned her attention back to the two men. She pulled out a pouch and some, not paper but something similar. It had writing on it but it was in a foreign language. "Read this will, ya?"

Gabrielle looked down at the woman squatting with a bit of wonderment on her face but felt that she just needed to put that aside for now. "Wanted. Xena warrior princess. Ten thousand dinar." The younger woman's voice took on a bit of awe. "Wow! I would always say that you are priceless but man that's a lot of money to put on someone's head." The woman rifled her fingers through her hair. "It's signed by a guy named Marose. Do you know who that is?"

ou know who that is?"d Marose."rough her hair. "hat' just needed to put that aside for now. "ck. sure y having a say in it. a

ou know who that is?"d Marose."rough her hair. "hat' just needed to put that aside for now. "ck. sure y having a say in it. a

Without having to think Sam knew exactly who it was. But how could she when she was not even sure who she was at the moment. Everything was not making sense and she hated that very much. "He's someone that I had dealings with just before I met you." She looked up to see green eyes that looked very familiar to her staring at her intently. "In fact I had just helped his army defect from him and it had felt good but at the same time…" For some reason she trailed off.

It appeared that the younger woman knew exactly why the thought trailed off. In fact she came over and got on her knees still carefully holding her staff. There was a gentle touch of her cheek and then dark hair moved behind her hair. Before Sam even realized what was going on the younger woman was kissing her. The sensation that it stirred hit her in her very soul if she believed in that sort of thing. There had never been this amount of passion in a simple kiss in all of her life. It was like until now she had never truly been kissed.

That was when the world she was in turned dark. Part of her wanted to stay in this foreign land. Part of her desperately wanted nothing more than to stay with the blond woman that had just taken her breath away. Her body had never reacted to another woman the way that her body was reacting to this woman. It literally was making her head pound with all the desire to stay in the other place. Instead she found herself with eyes carefully blinking and a lot of bright lights everywhere.

Now her head was pounding for another reason as her bodies' signals were finally getting through whatever place she had found herself in. Never before had she ever experienced anything like it that was for sure it seemed so real. Of course she had not been in a car accident before so that would explain that perhaps. It had to all be because of the bump on the head she took. The detective remembered the crash and the injuries. Given the bright lights she must be somewhere in the hospital.

"Detective Walker." The name made the blurry blue eyes look where the voice had come from. _Now that is my name._ The voice continued. "You were in a car accident. You had to have your leg operated on. It was a bad fracture. You also have a concussion and minor cut on the side of your head that required a few stitches along with some other bruising. Overall, you were very lucky from what I was told." The man's voice was deep and there was something that the woman didn't like about it. "My name is Dr. Jones."

It took a moment for Sam's eyes to come into focus. The man was fairly tall and broad shouldered. He had a goatee with side burns. Had she not been into the ladies she had to admit that he was a very good looking guy. But there was something in the voice that grated on her. For now she just chalked it up to being pretty much out of it because of the accident. "Has my partner, Detective Waters, been informed that I'm here?"

The doctor looked like he was offended by being asked about something other than her injuries. That right there made the woman dislike her doctor. Even a doctor could know something that simple and in the past dealing with victims and such they had been very informative. But this guy just seemed like a real jerk. "I'm sorry. I don't know if anyone is here waiting for you. They never told me. I'll get the nurse for you. If you have any real questions for me just let someone know and I'll be glad to answer them."

With that she watched the doctor walk off in a huff. _They must not teach bedside manner in medical school anymore or this guy must have been absent those days. What a creep! Just because you are a doctor and good looking does not mean you treat a patient like crap._ She tried to take a deep breath and regretted it immediately. Instantly she remembered the air bag slamming into her chest and the pain that had been there. Of course most of her body had been in pain at that time.

A tall breath takingly beautiful blond woman was suddenly in Sam's vision. She was dressed all in white and she assumed that this was the nurse that the kind doctor had said he would send in. "How are you feeling?" _Gee, at least she actually feigns wanting to know how I am unlike that pompous jerk_. The detective slapped herself mentally. Had to be the frustration from getting hurt. "Seems that you had a pretty nasty accident."

Sam watched for a moment as the woman went about taking her vitals and checking her IV and the monitors and anything else. Almost seemed like she was doing it just to keep busy which struck her as odd. "It was pretty bad. So how long are you guys going to keep me prisoner? I have to get back to work." That was the first thing that had entered her mind though there was still the hazy feeling that had come with the dream and more so the kiss.

The name tag pinned on her chest said that her name was Dunst. The detective made a mental note of the name and filed it away for later. She at least seemed warm and maybe even loving compared to the cold heartedness that she felt when the doctor had been around. The nurse smiled and shook her head. "Well, I'm afraid with that leg you are going to be here at least two weeks." As the blond watched, her patient rolled her eyes. "It might be longer especially if you don't behave."

The detective was taken aback just a little as she was given a wink. Quickly she realized that this was just the woman's bedside manner coming through and she was not being flirted with. Her ego was a little bruised but she would survive. She had survived a lot of things in her time. "Never been known to behave." As on cue she heard a laugh that made her cringe. _If only I could change that damned laugh of his. _"Well I was asking if you'd been contacted."

The nurse smiled at the newcomer. "Don't stay too long. This is recovery as you know and she needs to get up to her room as soon as possible and get some rest." Dunst once again was winking at her. This time to her expert eyes it felt like a bit more than just a simple wink but Sam decided not to think about it. Although she did watch the tall blond walk out of the room. There was something very attractive and seductive about the woman.

Detective Waters sat down in the chair next to the bed that his partner was on. His face went from jovially to serious in a heartbeat. "Sorry if you've been waiting long but I wanted to take a good look at the traffic cams before I came here." He took out a manila folder and handed it to his partner. "I don't want you to get upset or anything but take a look." He sat back for a moment as his partner studied a series of stills from the traffic cam. The detective knew that she would be more upset if he held anything back. Both eyebrows rose when she looked at him. "Exactly."

The pictures clearly indicated that the traffic coming from the direction that had impacted her car had been cleared. It was as if either a construction worker or a cop or something had held up traffic in that one lane. There was literally no one at all coming until the garbage truck came barreling along and hit the detective's car. Sam's voice was barely above a whisper and it forced her partner to lean in so that he could hear. "This was no accident."

The forty something man sat back in the chair and sighed heavily. He'd only been assigned to work with his current partner for about six months. Her first partner had sited philosophical differences for wanting the change but he was sure it was because this woman was intelligent, strong, confident and took no prisoners. In fact she could beat the tar out of anyone on the force man or woman. That was a bit intimidating to some. But he found it refreshing as some detectives, male or female, ran screaming after only a few months in SVU not that he could blame them.

Detective Waters crossed his arms over his chest and smiled at his partner. Very few he knew could have a concussion, be in obvious pain, be on pain medicine and still be able to tell what was going on. This partner was a keeper and he hoped that they would work together for a very long time. However if this was no accident than her life was in danger and he didn't like it one bit and his smile quickly faded. "Obviously they are still investigating it but it's being classified as attempted murder. The driver is here you know. He's in pretty bad shape."

That got two eyebrows raised as the female detective took that in. _Perhaps when I'm feeling up to it I could just happen to wander to his room and have a little chat with the little pissant. Be a good thing my fire arm will be in cold storage though._ That got a small smile on her face. It faded quickly as she realized that she was not going to be able to really help in the investigation. "I'd love to chat with him but I know, maintain my distance. Just do me a favor and keep me in the loop?"

That got one of the infamously goofy smiles out of her partner. "Like I could keep you out of it." Their eyes met and the slightly older man laughed at the look of venom his partner was giving him. He leaned forward and whispered once again. "Just to let you know I'm going to look at all your cases since you've been in New York." He swallowed hard not wanting to ask the next question but knew he had to. "Um, were there any, um…"

Sam put her fingers on either side of her nose and squeezed gently. Already having a headache from waking up from surgery and the pain she was in this was not helping. These were the uncomfortable questions that she had to ask every victim she had ever had to interview and it never got easier. Now that she was on the other side of it, it was even more uncomfortable. "Not that I know of as of late. There was one girl back in Middletown." Without asking her partner gave her his notepad with a pen. She scribbled down all the things she knew about her too friendly stalker.

"Thanks for this Sam." Detective Waters reached out and squeezed his partners arm. "We'll find out about this. One way or another. I do have some contacts at the FBI. Perhaps they can help if we can't get anywhere on our own." He squeezed her arm once again. "The whole force is behind you. Someone went after one of their own. We don't take that lying down. You on the other hand have to at least for now." There was that irritating laugh again.

Sam rolled her eyes at the last statement. Lying around in a hospital for a few weeks was not her ideal of fun. But she had no choice in the matter and needed to get herself healthy so that she could find out who had put a hit out on her. Her mind was racing with possibilities when the images from just before she woke up were flashing through her mind. That kiss was so incredible. If that's what a kiss felt like than the detective had to admit she had never been kissed before. Weird.

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There was a dark haired woman that looked a lot like the woman that had brought into the emergency room just before her shift had ended. This time though the woman was dressed in some kind of warrior's outfit. It was similar to something that the woman had seen when she had gone to England her senior year of high school. It had been her only measure of fun that year as she had been horribly shunned by her friends and even some of her family and all because she showed affection for a woman.

This familiar looking woman was being attacked and was holding her own with a sword. It gave Abby a measure of satisfaction to see the tall woman really taking it to the four men that were attacking her. In fact she could feel a smile upon her face. She could also feel the roughness of wood beneath her fingertips and she realized that she too was armed in a way. It was a staff. The nurse had seen some martial arts demonstrations and had seen one of the masters use one.

"Gabrielle!" The voice that she had never heard before and yet sounded so familiar to her called out. When she looked over at the familiar but not familiar woman it was obvious that she was talking to her. It made no sense but her body seemed to respond to whatever it was this tall warrior had warned her about. In fact she was whipping the staff with such ease that it made her blink several times in complete and total surprise.

Whap! Whap! Whack! Whack! It was as natural as breathing was to her and it surprised her to no end. The closest that the petite woman had ever gotten to learning anything like it was a self-defense course that her husband had insisted she take when she had started working afternoons. Coming home between midnight and one in the morning had left him unsettled as the norm he was on a different shift and would not be there for her.

It had come naturally what little she had learned and that too had surprised her. When growing up she had been the tentative one when it came to physically defending anyone. Oh she would stand up for anyone and take care of anyone. But to actually hurt anyone was something she could never envision herself doing not even to protect herself or someone else. Of course she also had seen enough scenarios working the emergency room to know that people did what they had to to survive.

Abby dispatched the two guys easily finding two more leather and armor clad men coming at her. She could not help but wonder where she was or more precisely when she was. This was not something you would see in this day and age unless it was on some television show or some traveling street show. It all felt very odd to her and at the same time felt as natural as breathing. For some reason she could not help herself and she glanced over at the tall dark haired woman.

"Die, Xena you stupid bitch!" A man yelled out as he swung his sword and almost took off her head. Somehow the tall woman back flipped out of the way twisting in midair and landing next to another one of the men trying to kill her. There was a swipe of the sword and there was blood but it didn't seem to bother either the leather clad woman or the nurse. That really bothered Abby that the thought of someone getting hurt just felt like something commonplace.

_So the woman's name is Xena, huh? That's an unusual name. I wonder what is going on and where I am? Nothing here is making sense._ Her body reacted to a threat and her staff was up to deflect a mace coming at her face. A swing of her staff and the weapon went flying. A reverse of her staff found the man with a bloody nose and on the ground writhing in pain. For good measure she hit the guy in the groin.

There were still four men attacking the dark haired woman. She went after one of them to ease the load and took him out with one whack from behind to his head. By then one of the men noticed his partner had gone down and decided to go after the petite blond. That was a mistake as Xena had already dispatched her two opponents and now was in less than the blink of an eyes standing between the man and the woman.

The man dropped his sword only to find that he was being hit in the head with the hilt of the sword in the tall warrior woman's hand. Glancing around her to make sure all the bodies were unconscious Xena turned her attention to the woman standing behind her. Gently she reached out and put a hand on her cheek. Abby felt her body react and leaned into the contact. It confused and excited her at the same time.

Her body was on fire in less than a heartbeat when she realized that the tall woman was about to kiss her. Then their lips were meeting and her heart soared. Her body ached all over but in a good way wanting the contact. Wanting to be touching and kissing and holding and just being with the woman in any way possible. The kiss was like nothing she had ever experienced before not even when she had her experiment at camp.

Abby sat up in bed, her body was drenched. The sheets and blankets that were wrapped around her body were also soaked. She literally had to stop and think about where she was before she realized that she was at home alone as usual in her bed alone as usual. It took a moment for her heart to stop pounding in her chest. The dream had seemed so real. The smells and the feel of the staff in her hand. But the most amazing thing was that kiss.

The kiss still took her breath away just thinking about it. What was more she had a face that flashed into her mind that looked almost identical to the one that she had dreamed about. There had been bruises and blood and it was hard to put an exact match on the two but they were so similar it was not even funny. And then there was the way that she had felt looking at her body and the cold shower that had not helped.

Abby sighed and she rolled out of bed looking at the time. Her husband would be home in an hour and she really should get the house presentable for him not that he was worth it by any means. She still wondered what exactly had happened to the man that she had fallen in love with or had she ever truly been in love with him? How could someone hide themselves so well from someone else? Another sigh escaped her and she decided to forgo the house cleaning and take a shower instead.

The spray of the lukewarm water felt good on her skin. Normally she loved a shower about as hot as it could get but her body was still on fire from the dream. The smell of her shampoo gave her a measure of comfort as it was something that she had learned to make herself long ago. It smelled of jasmine and the outdoors. Living in the big city all her life she had loved it when her parents had taken her either camping or just for a drive on the weekends.

Those times hadn't been too frequent as her father was a top executive and traveled a lot. In fact it amazed her that he and her mother had spent enough time together to have decided to send her away. They had both been somewhat religious but really the reason, at least that Abby thought was the reason, was that they didn't want anyone at the company finding out about their daughter being a lesbian. But she wasn't one, was she?

The nurse sighed and turned off the water. She got out of the shower and began drying her body off. For a moment she stood and looked at her reflection in the body length mirror. It saddened her to see that she was thinner than she used to be. Most women would like that fact but when she was upset or stressed or not happy instead of eating for comfort like some she lost her appetite. There were times when she had to force herself to eat.

It appeared that her marriage was doing a number on her again and not just mentally. The nurse let out a soft curse and finished drying herself off. Quickly she made it to the bedroom and put on a pair of blue jeans and a tight fitting sweater. The fall air was crisp and for some reason she got cold easily. It could be because of the fact that her body was not in the shape that it should be in or it could just be that she was naturally affected by cold.

That was another thing for her to push off until another time as she already knew if it were true the reason behind it. Abby went to the home phone to see if there were any messages glad to find none. She took her cell phone off the charger and saw that she had a new text. It was from her husband. Just reminding her of what he wanted for dinner waiting for him when he got home. It almost made her cry but instead she reached deep down inside herself and found a reserve strength she rarely called upon.

Without ceremony she turned on the television in the living room and left in on the local station. Slowly almost methodically she made her way into the kitchen. She had quickly finished making the dinner and left it on the stove for her husband to heat up. The smell of it didn't even appeal to her. She wondered if it was because of what it was or if it was because it had been requested by her husband. Requested was not the right word but either way she knew the answer.

Instead of having any of the food she'd prepared, Abby took out a yogurt and made her way to the couch to stretch out and relax for a few moments before she went into work early. She was doing it to avoid her husband she knew but at this point really didn't care. A familiar face flashed on the screen. It was the woman from the ER and from her dream. Apparently the woman was a detective in the special victims unit and the accident was thought to not be an accident.

The woman was a complete and total stranger to her and yet the thought of someone after her made her very angry. In fact it made her angrier than she had ever been in her life. Abby just shook her head and sighed heavily. What the devil was going on with her? Her home life was not pleasant and her attraction to women becoming more and more apparent but this was something else. It was almost like these two women had known each other for a very long time. Perhaps in another place and another time. It sent goose bumps up and down her spine.

ou know who that is?"d Marose."rough her hair. "hat' just needed to put that aside for now. "ck. sure y having a say in it. a


	3. Chapter 3

Detective Steven Waters has been a cop for nearly half his life. He had started out as a beat cop and slowly he made detective. For the past three years he had been assigned to the special victims unit. Over the years there had been mistakes or sloppiness or just human error after all every one made mistakes and no one was perfect. But this, the newspaper that he had rolled up in his hand was crushed a little as his grip tightened around it, was different.

There was no way that what he had seen on the television and now read in the afternoon newspaper could have gotten out by any human error. There had to be a leak on the force. There had to be someone on the payroll of someone because you don't just let information like this get to the public especially when another police officer's life was at stake. It burned him a great deal to think that one of his own was putting his partner's life in jeopardy.

Usually a very goofy and calm guy there were certain things you just didn't want to do to get Steve going. Number one would be to have anything happen to his children or his wife. That would be a mistake you wouldn't recover from. Number two would to be to go against any fellow police officer but especially his partner. Though he and Detective Samantha Walker had only been partners for six months he had found that she was as loyal as the day was long and had your back no matter what.

Well somebody was out for his family, as he now considered his partner, and it was pissing him off to no end. The usually respectful guy slammed the door open to his captain's office. An older man, in his mid-fifties with gray hair, sat behind a medium sized metal desk. He was on the phone and looked none too pleased. Whether that was because of the intrusion or because of the conversation he was having the detective could not tell.

Captain Jonathan Leik had been on the force just shy of thirty years. He had seen pretty much everything and pretty much done anything. His hand was up to silence the detective that had stormed into his office. Already he knew why his detective was here and could not blame him one bit. Not only was one of theirs hurt earlier in the day it had already made the afternoon addition of the newspaper. There had to be a leak and in his department. That was something that just never happened.

The captain slammed down the phone in frustration and put his right hand to his temple. His other hand was still up telling his detective that he needed a moment. These were the stressful times of the job for him. While he was always under pressure to close cases and help get convictions it was times like this when his own people were targeted that made his stress level and his urge to drink get almost too much for him to resist. "I know."

The slighter younger man threw the newspaper onto his captain's desk. He watched as the older man opened it up. It was an article about Detective Walker and it had some personal details. In fact it had the name of the woman that had stalked her when she was back in Middletown. The captain took the newspaper and crumbled it up and shoved it off his desk and into his trash can. "What are we going to do about this?" Steve's voice had an edge to it.

John rubbed his right temple obviously just as frustrated if not more than his detective. Though Sam had not been in his unit for that long he had learned a lot from her which he found interesting. He had always thought that he was a savvy cop and pretty much seen and done it all. Then this young woman blew in from a medium sized town and shocked him with her intelligence and her abilities and with her loyalty. Now she was in danger. "Besides putting a protection detail on her not much we can. The FBI is taking over the investigation."

At first this statement pissed off the detective until he really looked his captain in the eye. Words were unspoken between them and the seasoned police officer knew a few things in that moment. One there was no way they were just going to roll over and let the feds handle things. Two they would have to be careful of their conversations in the precinct. Three this was their top priority. While the victims deserved and would get justice this was their number one case.

Detective Waters seemed to relax just a tad bit at the little mental exchange. Deep down he had known his captain would back his play when it came to investigating the little 'accident' his partner had had. He nodded his head and made his way out of the office without another word. He already had hard copies of all his partner's old cases and given her copies as well. There was one person that he trusted in the department other than his captain. It was his partner's good friend and lab rat.

Quickly the man made his way to the basement of the building where the corners office and the lab was housed. He flashed his badge at the officer on duty before he was buzzed into the secured area noting just how little the officer actually looked at his badge. If he hadn't already had a headache he would have gotten one and made a mental note to let his captain know. The detective weaved through the maze of corridors before he found the door that he needed.

The detective steeled himself before opening the door not sure he wanted to hear what was said. Also he remembered what his captain had alluded to about being careful what he said so that was a problem. The door opened into a bustling lab. All the officers here wore white lab coats. A dark haired woman that was just a little shorter than the detective caught his eye. Her face brightened just a little upon seeing him. After a moment the smile faded.

Susie Munson had been in the forensic unit for ten years now and now was in charge of it. Before that she had been a floater in the crime scene unit just absorbing information and techniques and was considered the best of the best. Upon seeing Detective Waters she would have assumed she'd see her friend, Sam. But she was nowhere to be seen. She waited until the detective had made his way over. "Where's my best friend? Don't tell me she'd miss a chance to give me a hard time."

That caused one raised eyebrow from the detective. "You haven't heard?" The lab rat looked at him in questions. He knew that the basement was isolated but when one of their own got hurt it usually spread like a wild fire and especially with the circumstances surrounding the injuries. This was making him wonder about his friend's choice in friends. But usually Sam's instincts were spot on except for one time that he had just found out earlier in the day. "Sam is in the hospital. There was an, um, accident."

The lab rat managed to sit on the stool without tipping it over as she sat down so fast. She had to wonder how she had not heard the news. Though isolated they always knew when a fellow officer went down. Perhaps she was being kept out of the loop on purpose. Sam had just two days prior come to her and asked her about anything happening in the lab that was suspicious. "No I hadn't! Is she going to be all right?"

"You know Sam. She'll be fine." Their eyes met for a moment. There was a reason that she was the head of the lab and yet worked cases herself. While everyone was intelligent this woman was smarter than the average. "I'm just checking on some results of some of my partner's latest tests." He shoved a piece of paper toward the lab rat. Her eyes widened just for a second. To the untrained eye it wouldn't have been there. But to a man that had learned to read people as part of his job he knew.

"Well I'll see what I can get you by the end of the day." Susie flipped the paper and began to scribble quickly upon it. "There are only a couple things that the detective has been asking for but my case load is backed up right now. Still you know I'd do anything for Sam." Their eyes met as she was finishing the last sentence. It was funny, or was it, that detective Walker had such a fierce loyalty only having been in New York for a year.

"We all would do anything for her." Their gaze held for a moment before the lab rat handed back the paper to the detective. "Thanks. I know Sam will appreciate it." They nodded at one another and the detective made his way out of the maze and back up to the confines of his office. He took out the paper and looked at it. It was as he feared. He took a deep breath and put his hand on his head and just shook his head. _What have you gotten yourself into my friend._

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Abigail Jones had taken her time driving to the hospital knowing that her friend Emily Dunst would wait for her. The nurse had wanted to go and check on the status of her patient from the previous morning but knew after watching the news that she would not be allowed anywhere near the detective's room. It wasn't the first time that a police officer had gotten hurt under suspicious circumstances while the nurse had been at the hospital and knew that she would be on lock down.

That meant that she would not have access to the detective until next week when she was back on the floor instead of in the ER. Until then her friend would have access to the woman. Of course Abby could not understand why she was so concerned about the detective. She was sure that they had crossed paths over a victim and that was why she seemed so familiar but it was more than just a passing feeling of familiarity between the two. The nurse found herself totally enamored with the stranger.

That was something that never happened to the usually level headed and cautious woman. Usually she kept her distance from the patients and kept her distance from anyone emotionally. After what was happening with her husband it made her a little gun shy about opening herself up even just to friendship with anyone accept those that she trusted. That was why she felt that she was lucky that she had Emily and had known her since they had gone to nursing school.

She had texted the nurse and asked her to meet her in the employee parking lot. There was no way that she wanted her husband to see her at the hospital. He would park in the doctors' lot and would have little to no chance of running into him. The nurse had left a note that she was checking on her mother which was a big lie. It was eating at her the levels she was going to just to avoid her husband. It had gotten that bad between them. In the back of her mind she was still very afraid that he would turn from just his possessive ways to violence.

Abby needed this talk to not only find out about the tall dark haired woman but also to help give her the strength she needed to go through with her vow to herself. Though it was one of the scariest things she was going to face she knew that she needed to go through with her promise to see a lawyer in two weeks' time to start the divorce proceedings. Before that she would need to find a place to stay as the violent streak that lay under the surface of her husband would probably roar its head once he was served with the divorce notice.

The petite blond woman sat sipping her decaf coffee. The smell of it gave her a little bit of comfort as did the warmth of it as it slid down the back of her throat. It hit an almost empty stomach which gurgled a little in rebellion of not being fed properly. Mentally she punished herself for not eating more than a yogurt before she left the house but her stomach had been hurting as it did most days at just the thought of her husband.

A tapping on the driver's side window almost made her spill her coffee as she literally jumped and hit her head on the low roof of her sedan. A bright smile greeted her and she tried to smile back but just could not find it in herself at least not yet. The nurse motioned toward the passenger side and unlocked the doors. A tall long legged blond settled herself in the passenger seat. In the other woman's hand was what Abby suspected was a coffee and a little white bag.

Emily Dunst smiled at her friend trying to get her to feel better. The text had been generic just stating the fact that her friend needed someone to talk to but as always her friend tended to wear her heart on her sleeve. It was obvious that something was really bothering her friend but she'd wait it out and let her open up in her own time. The taller woman had all the time in the world never having found a significant other and all her family living on the west coast. "Here." She handed her friend the white bag.

Not to Abby's surprise when she opened it there was a miniature loaf of nutbread. It was the shorter woman's favorite treat. It brought out a genuine smile at least for a very brief moment. "Thanks. You know me too well." Carefully she unwrapped the treat and took a small bite. "Guess I'll start with the hard stuff and go from there." She took the time to take another bite. Though she was enjoying the sweetness she was actually stalling. "I've decided to leave Kevin."

While part of Emily wanted to say 'wait to go my friend' and 'about time!' the nurse held her tongue with such thoughts. Right now her friend needed support not sarcastic comments. "Oh Sweetie!" Without thinking she put a hand on her friend's leg. "I know this has been a tough decision for you. You know how I've felt about this for a long time." She watched a wave of emotions cross her friend's face one of them clearly fear and something occurred to the nurse. "You know I have that extra bedroom."

Abby let a breath that she hadn't even realized that she had been holding. Her fear of her husband was greater than she realized as before she could just push all her emotions deep down. But now that she had made a decision all those emotions were boiling over the top. Perhaps that was why she was having the dreams again and this attraction to a stranger although amazingly beautiful stranger. "I'd really appreciate that. I think I need to move out before I see a lawyer."

Emily was studying her friend very closely. While this was indeed an emotional thing that her friend wanted to discuss there was something else that was lying just below the surface that was causing even greater stress for her friend. Whatever it was for once she was pushing that emotion far enough below the surface so that the tall blond had no idea of what it was. "We can move you out tomorrow. Remember, my building is secure so it'll be hard for him to access. You and I both have the day off and Kevin still has one more day before he has the weekend off, right?"

The petite blond nodded absently feeling a little better about putting her friend in potential danger. She had forgotten Emily's place was very secure. It was really happening now. The first step was to make the vow to herself. That was nothing really. But now she had actually spoken her vow out loud and now was making plans on moving out. It was both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. "Yeah. He was complaining that we wouldn't be able to do anything this weekend because I have to work. I don't know if he realizes that I volunteered for the hours."

That was not a surprise to the taller blond. It wasn't the first time that Abby had either requested certain days or traded with another nurse just so she would be working on the days that her husband had off. It was a slow painful process to watch as her friend had been slowly been building herself up to this moment for a very long time. Too long in Emily's opinion but her opinion wasn't the one's that counted it was her friends. "Then it's settled. We'll do brunch and then get your cute little butt moved in with me. You can stay as long as you need to. And before you say it that's what friends are for."

Abby looked down at the hand of her friend that had just given her a gentle squeeze. It flashed her back to a time long ago when she was only a few weeks from her seventeenth birthday. She and Rebecca had snuck off to that isolated cabin and sat on the bunk gorging themselves on cookies. Then the redhead had put her hand on her leg and started stroking it. One thing had quickly led to another. It took a moment for her to be able to speak getting lost in the memory. "I appreciate that. Um, there…"

Emily took a sip of her coffee as her friend got a far off look on her face. She had learned that when things were bothering her friend that the more you pried the less she would tell you. It took a great deal of patience sometimes to be friends with her but her heart was so big and the rewards were well worth the effort. The tall blond hoped that someday her friend would find someone with a true heart that would take care of the most amazing person she had ever known.

The smaller blond took the last bite of her treat and swallowed her now cooled off coffee trying to get the effort to speak of the next thing on her mind. _I guess I actually led with the easy part. Why is this so hard? She's your best friend and has the most open mind of anyone you've ever known. Just get it over with. She'll understand. _"Can I ask you about that woman that was brought in just as my shift ended? She's the detective."

For a moment Emily's brow furrowed as this was one of the last things she guessed her friend would ask of her. She knew exactly who her friend was asking about. It was rare when her friend would ask about a patient. In fact she could not remember a time when Abby had asked her about someone usually taking it upon herself to find out. Of course the circumstances surrounding the detective's 'accident' would make that nearly impossible even for someone that had been taking care of her and worked for the hospital. "Well, last I knew she was out of surgery. She's strong that one. In three hours' time she never asked for pain medicine. Mind if I ask why you're asking?"

Abby averted her gaze for a moment before finally building up her courage and looked her friend directly in the eyes. "There was something about the woman." She paused looking away again. Once again her thoughts went back to the time of her youth before she turned to face her friend. "I froze when she was brought in. Kevin kept having to yell at me because I couldn't focus. I just wanted to know if she was going to be all right."

Emily knew there was something more to the story than her friend was telling her but she once again decided not to push. She dearly loved her friend and just wanted to see her happy. The slightly younger woman could get hurt so easily and she'd be damned if she was the one in anyway shape or form going to be the one inflicting that pain. "She'll be fine. It's just going to take a few weeks to recover. Hopefully she'll be patient enough to let herself heal. She was looking at case files when I left."

Nurse Jones heard her friend and yet didn't hear her friend. Her mind was suddenly in the room with the tall dark woman. She was sitting on the bed next to her holding her hand. But that was ridiculous. She only knew her as a patient. That was barely anything either as she had gone off duty as she had been wheeled into surgery. Another squeeze on her leg and she was coming back to reality reluctantly. "I got one more thing I think I need to tell you." Emily shifted in her seat so that she could fully look her friend in the face. "I think I might be interested in women."

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Sam Walker had been going over her latest case files that her partner Detective Waters had been kind enough to leave for her. While she prided herself in being able to concentrate no matter what even she had to admit the pain was getting to her. Her leg was what was bothering her but that was not surprising. Her younger brother had gotten a compound fracture while playing football his freshman year in high school. She had helped take care of him after school and the pain he had been in was unreal. Now she was experiencing the exact same thing.

The detective had called her mother who was worried of course. The woman ran a small bed and breakfast that usually needed her personal touches but she insisted on coming and staying with her daughter until she was better. That had made Sam regret not cleaning her small one bedroom apartment a little better because she knew that her mother would take it upon herself to clean it for her. One good thing was she knew she would eat well for a while. Her mother was an amazing cook.

Her mother was an amazing woman period that had raised three rambunctious children with the detective being the biggest handful. She smiled to herself thinking how little times had changed as she found herself in quite the little jam once again. Only this time she really hadn't done anything, at least she didn't think she had, to actually be the cause of it. If her gut was right, which it usually was, she was missing something in one of her cases and it was just chance that she was now in the situation she found herself in.

There was a connection somewhere that had eluded her and now it had put the life of herself and possibly her partner in danger. As usual she wasn't worried about herself but her partner had two kids that she didn't want to see fatherless. Though her mother was loving she knew all too well what it was like to grow up without a father hers having been killed just after the birth of her younger brother in a skirmish somewhere in the Middle East. It had been classified and they never knew the details.

Her mind kept going back to her latest case. She'd just barely scratched the surface when the 'accident' had occurred. In fact she and Waters had only had the case for two days. Her intention had been to go and interview the victim again. One thing she knew for a fact that the young woman had been lying about was having a boyfriend not that she suspected the boyfriend but family members and those closest to the victims were the first ones eliminated from the suspect pool. If she was hiding a simple thing as having a boyfriend what else was she hiding?

Sam's head began to ache and she decided to turn the television. The detective usually had little time to watch anything as her job took up a majority of her time. What little free time she did have she spent at one of the local bars. She never drank alcohol but she liked going for the music and if she just happened to make a connection all the better. Lately though she had been going home alone and for some reason that wasn't bothering her at all. In fact that was how she wanted it. While being free to be with whomever you wanted seemed like a nice way to spend your time it got lonely after a while.

The detective hadn't realized that until she moved to the vastly larger city. There were literally millions of people in the city yet she had never felt as alone as she had since she moved. While she was still glad of the new challenging job and the two friends in her partner and the lab rat there was a part of her that wished she could have stayed home. Seeing her mother was going to be a real treat for her since she had yet to take the time to go back to where she grew up. While they talked almost every day it just was not the same thing.

For some reason an image flashed into her head. It was from when they had brought her into the hospital. At the time she was in so much pain and on some pain medicine that her memory was foggy at best. But there was one face that seemed to stand out for the detective. Her mind always had the ability to hold details and people's faces well which served her in her given profession. It also had served her in her personal life when she had to fight to remember the woman's name that she woke up with.

That had not happened in a very long time though. The last time it had been at her younger brother's wedding reception. They had celebrated late into the night and early into the morning. That was when she had met Leslie Wilson and taken her to bed that night. It was the only time that she could not place a name with a face. The woman had become obsessed with her after that and she vowed never to drink again. If she admitted it she didn't miss drinking as it was always about being with people anyways.

Man her mind was a jumble and yet it went back to that face which was attached to a nice little petite body. The blond hair had been a little disheveled and it was adorable. She remembered just staring at her and having trouble responding to any questions she was asked. There was something in those green eyes that held a warmth that most people never even knew. Perhaps she would see the cute nurse during her stay in this torture palace.

That perked up the detective and made her head hurt a little less. That was silly. She didn't even know the girls name. They had never even officially met yet. Sam sighed heavily as she felt something changing inside her. Perhaps she was finally growing up. Perhaps she was finally ready to settle down. Perhaps pigs would fly at least that was what her older brother would say. Suddenly in the back of her mind she could hear wings flapping. Guess anything was possible especially if it was worth it in the end.


	4. Chapter 4

The dark SUV pulled into the gated drive way and rolled down the darkened windows. Inside was a blond woman dressed in black with a white button shirt. The monitor of the security unit flashed on and a male guard dressed similar to the woman appeared. One look but not a word passed and there was a buzzing sound as the tall black metal gate swung open. The window rolled back up obscuring the driver as the vehicle made the trek up the long driveway.

It took several moments before the SUV came to a circle drive where it parked in front of the door of a two story white house. The house had pillars and porch all the way around as well as a balcony all the way around the second floor. Truly it looked like one of the old mansions you'd see in the south rather than on a very large estate deep within New York City. The grounds surrounding the house were immaculate with tennis courts, swimming pool and a basketball court. There was a seven stall garage and what appeared to be a small house just behind the garage.

The blond woman had been to this particular home on only a few occasions. Usually her meetings with the owner or one of her lackeys took place in parking structures or somewhere just as out of the public eye. Sierra Gregors knew that she had made a mistake. She had been the one entrusted to take out Detective Sam Walker and yet the woman was in the hospital recovering and had been for the past week. In the back of her mind she knew what was going to happen and it was a good thing she had insurance policies in place.

A very tall, very large bald man was out the door before the engine could be turned off. He opened the door to the vehicle for the blond who immediately stood still. The man searched her and took a gun from the small of her back and one that was at her left side. He also took a knife that was sheathed to her ankle. The man put all the weapons on various parts of his own body and pointed toward the door. Another man appeared waiting for the blond woman.

Sierra found herself roughly grasped by the arm and was led to the right. Two sliding doors were opened by yet two more large men. The second man pointed to a seat and waited until the blond woman sat before he made his way to stand before the doors that had been slid shut. It was only a few moments before a tall dark haired woman with dark eyes entered the room. She was dressed in a red leather outfit that clung to her body. Her voice was raspy when she spoke. "You've disappointed me. I thought that you were the perfect person for the job considering your history with Detective Walker."

Sierra, while a very confident woman, found herself just a touch intimidated. Partially it was because she knew that every room was guarded by two men and there were men that patrolled the house and the entire grounds. No room was left without a security camera and the grounds were full of them as well as some not so friendly dogs unless of course you were one of the lucky few that knew the commands for the dogs. "It was just a minor setback. I will make a more fruitful attempt when she gets out of the hospital. She'll be vulnerable then even with her mother here."

The tall woman had a cold and calculated smile upon her face and that scared the blond more than the surrounding guards and the prison like feeling it offered. Not many people would get this close to Jenny Monroe. Usually she kept her distance and had her men or women take care of things as trivial as this. But when her first orders were not properly carried out it was time to intervene on her own. "You've made a mess of things. The FBI is now involved. Any attempt now on the detective's life would be idiotic at best at this point."

The blond with the dark eyes cringed at the tone of voice. Truly she was intimidated by this woman that sat before her. Who wouldn't be? The woman was the top of the largest mob in New York City. But her reach went far beyond the Big Apple. While Sierra didn't know the exact extent of the woman's empire, she did know that she had European and Middle Eastern ties. So she knew that she had to tread very carefully if she wanted to survive this. "What do you suggest I do?"

Jenny looked like she wanted to hit the girl. "I usually use people that have brains. I think I'm going to have to rethink you're employment if you cannot think how to use your position to at the very least slow down the detective and her partner." The tall woman had begun to lean on a large desk that the blond was seated in front of. "I have, shall we say connections with the FBI. I can at the very least stall the investigation if not squash it entirely. Until then I need that woman silenced!"

The blond woman tried to think what she was going to do. It occurred to her and she smiled and sat a little straighter in the large comfortable leather chair. Their eyes met and for a moment she thought that she had looked into the eyes of the devil if she believed in such things which she didn't. Still, she knew that this was one cold blooded woman and messing with her would be the last mistake she ever made. "I'll start an investigation on her. My boss already had planned on it so no suspicion will come of it."

Finally that got a genuine smile from the dark haired woman. "Finally using your assets. You could have saved us a lot of trouble had you thought about that in the first place." She stood and sat behind the desk instead. She pulled out a piece of paper and shoved it to the edge of the desk. It didn't go unnoticed by the blond that the scary woman was wearing latex gloves. Instinctively she took out a handkerchief out of her pocket and scanned the document. Her eyes grew large as she looked at the contents. "I have many friends in high places. Now get out of here and do what you are paid to do and that is keeping the cops off my back."

Without another word, Sierra stood still holding the piece of paper in her hand careful not to get her fingerprints on it. Being that she worked for Internal Affairs would make it easy to set up the woman. Why she had not gone this route instead of attempting to take the woman out she was not sure. Had she set her up with an investigation first it would not have looked all that suspicious that an 'accident' had happened to the detective.

The IA agent found herself being escorted out by the same two men and she gladly took her weapons back and drove away from the mansion. The woman's reputation for iciness had preceded her. Part of her wanted to know what her former fellow cadet had done to garner the ice queen's wrath but knew the less she knew the better for her. All she knew was that she was now between a rock and a hard place. If IA or the FBI got wind of what she was up to her career and life were over.

Of course it was going to be sweet if she could exact some measure of revenge on the detective. They had been competitive while at the academy to the point where it had become all about the two of them. Almost every time she had been shown up by the tall dark haired woman. Finally she had won or thought she had just to find out that Sam had intentionally let her win and a permanent reprimand was now on her record. It had left little choice but for her to join IA or find another career.

Of course the other part of their little rivalry went beyond just competing for props while training to become police officers. It also went back to a rival over a certain woman that Sierra had fallen fast and hard for. What hurt the most was that she was ready to settle down even at a very young age with this other woman. But Sam had set her sights on her and that had destroyed the blond woman. Never again was she able to trust anyone interested in her and it had left her hard and cold. But not as hard and cold as the woman she had just left. The IA officer shivered at just the thought of the woman and hoped that she would not screw up this time.

()()()()()()()()()()()

A middle aged woman of medium build and medium height with graying dark hair sat in the hospital chair where she had been camped out for the past week for most of her time in New York City. Melissa Walker was a kind hearted woman that had had an interesting life. The first ten years of her marriage to Dean Walker had found her traveling the world going from one Marine base to another until he had been killed serving his country.

After that she had found herself going back to the place of her birth in the medium sized city that had been her home before she had gotten married. At that point she had found herself alone raising a nine year old boy, a seven year old girl and a five year old boy. At first she had no idea how she was going to be able to raise her family and be on her own but her mother intervened in a sad way. She had passed away leaving her the bed and breakfast that had been in the family for now the third generation.

It was a place that she had grown up in just as her mother had before her. It had eased her grief over the loss of her husband if only because she was surrounded by the memories of many return visits of the family whenever her husband had actually gotten to take leave. There was a pond out back of the three story inn and they had spent many days fishing and swimming. To this day she still smiled at the thought of her husband getting tackled into the water and her children ganging up on him.

Walter Walker had been a very tall man almost seven feet tall. He was thin as a rail though and the kindest man that you'd ever meet. He looked gruff with his height and his beard but deep down he was just a kid at heart and loved spending time with his children. He was a fierce protector of what he loved and believed in. It had wounded them all to the core when the man had been killed her youngest son taking it the hardest. Perhaps it was because he had barely known his father or perhaps it was because understanding death at his age was difficult at best.

Melissa reflected on the thought of understanding death at any age. What really truly happened to people after they were no longer with us was a mystery to everyone. Those with religious beliefs sought comfort in some kind of afterlife or reincarnation or in some cases soul mates that traveled through time finding one another. As well as she had felt she had known her husband part of her wished that the last one was what it had been between them as it gave her comfort to think that someday she would be reunited with the man she still loved more than life itself.

The woman sighed and pushed those darker thoughts out of her mind. After what had just happened to her daughter the last thing that she wanted to dwell on was death. After her husband's dangerous choice in careers she had hoped that her children would have picked less violent jobs. Her oldest son, Robert, had chosen a career in education and was now the principal of the grade school. Her youngest son, Jeffry, was a published novelist as well as had a position on the local newspaper as editor. Those were the kinds of careers that she'd hoped her children would have.

But not her wild child Sam. From the very beginning her daughter was a bundle of energy and always getting into trouble. At each base they had been stationed at the MPs had gotten to know her daughter really well. Some of the MPs had adopted her as a mascot for them as they loved her enthusiasm for life. The child had gotten almost every scrape and numerous broken bones before she had calmed down just a little as she entered her teen years.

That was when the real fun had started for the middle aged woman. The child had snuck out every chance that she could get. Numerous times she would sneak home toward dawn when the innkeeper was just getting up to start breakfast for her boarders. It was as if her daughter really didn't care if she got punished or not. It wasn't until she became friends with a tall sandy blond boy that had a heart of gold that she settled down. Part of the innkeeper had hoped that they would end up together.

That was before she realized her daughter was a lesbian. At first she had been, not shocked or disappointed, just surprised. She had always thought that she knew her children well and when her daughter told her her feelings it was something she truly had to absorb. But as with any good parent all she wanted was for her daughter to be happy. It never seemed that her daughter was all that happy as she had gone from one girlfriend to the next.

The older woman sighed heavily. Her daughter had been taken for some tests. Finally the older woman decided to get some fresh air and something to eat. She opened the door to her daughter's room and was greeted by a police officer standing and another one sitting. They nodded and knew her by name as her daughter's partner made sure that they knew exactly who she was so that she was free to come and go as she pleased.

As she walked by the nurses' station a petite blond smiled and waved at her. The woman had been in and out of her daughter's room several times already in the day. There was something about the woman that felt familiar to Melissa but that was silly as the older woman had only made a handful of trips to New York and the city was vast with people. She paused for a moment and the blond woman came over. "Can you please tell my daughter that I went out for some air and something to eat if she gets back before I do?"

Abby beamed at the older woman. There was something from the moment that she had met the older woman that morning that she liked about her. She seemed strong and self-assured and definitely was a very caring mother. That was one of the few regrets she had about ending her marriage was that they had never had children. Although with Kevin's temper it was for the best. "I'd be happy to. There's a little open air café just two blocks away. They have great food and you'll get plenty of air."

Melissa smiled at the younger woman. Definitely there was something about this blond that, maybe not familiar at least told the older woman that she had a good heart. While she was not exactly sure how her daughter 'knew' when another woman was interested in her part of her hoped that this woman would be. _Ever the match maker, huh Melissa. You naughty woman you._ She shook off the thought and without thinking about it touched the girl on the arm. "You've been very kind to me. My daughter is lucky to be in your care." _That wasn't too bad now was it?_

"Thank you, Mrs. Walker… I mean, Melissa." Abby beamed at the older woman. If her daughter was half as nice as she was it would be amazing. _Can't think like that. She's a patient. Can't get involved with a patient. Of course, she won't always be a patient. Bad nurse! Bad nurse!_ "Have a good lunch." She watched as the older woman made her way to the elevators before she turned back to the station. Before she could the other set of elevators opened and the tall dark haired woman was being wheeled back to her room.

Abby waited until the orderlies had left the room before she entered pausing briefly while the police officers checked her badge. While she had been there since seven that morning, she knew the strict rules when a patient was under protective custody. It was even stricter when that patient was one of their own. They nodded at her and she made her way slowly into the room. Blue eyes were open and alert and found green ones.

The nurse stopped in her tracks feeling the intensity of the stare. This was definitely a very strong person and not just physically. She had heard one of the doctors saying that almost anyone else would have been killed instantly with an 'accident' such as she had been involved in even with modern day safety equipment in vehicles. This woman was also very strong emotionally. There was no doubt in the nurse's mind that the woman knew exactly who she was and what she wanted in life. Oh how she envied the other woman.

Finally the nurse was able to break out of the stare, reluctantly. She went over and looked at the woman's chart before she did her usual checking the IV and repositioning the pillow under her patient's leg. Finally she fluffed the pillows that had the tall woman's head propped up. Once again their eyes met and for some reason the nurse felt a connection to her patient. Regrettably she pushed that feeling to the back of her mind. "Hi! My name is Abby in case you haven't seen my name tag the numerous times I've been in here. If you need anything just let me know. Your mother went to get something to eat and some fresh air. She's eating at 'Carlos''."

Sam raised one eyebrow. Carlos' was one of her favorite little cafes. They had the best coffee and the best Italian food she had found near the hospital. Unfortunately she spent a lot of time at the hospital with the victims. The café was open twenty four hours which was very convenient for the detective. "Well you know my name." That got a smile out of the blond and for some reason it warmed the dark haired woman's heart. Quickly she pushed that feeling deep down. _Now is not the time to get involved with anyone, Walker. Your life is in danger which means anyone you know could be in danger._ "You've got good taste in restaurants." _Oh that's subtle you idiot!_

Another warm smile was on the nurse's face and again there was that warm feeling in the detective. There was definitely a chemistry, at least the nurse thought that there was one. But it was too soon for that, wasn't it? She'd just moved out less than a week ago and had just seen a lawyer the previous day. Her lawyer had said that it would take at least two days for her husband to be served with the paperwork. In the meantime she was spending time with her ailing mother or so she had told him. The consequences would be grave when he found out but that was something she would deal with at a later time.

"Well I know every little restaurant in the area. Comes with working so many hours at the hospital." For a moment the nurse forgot that she was on duty. To her it felt like she was just talking to an old friend that she hadn't seen in what seemed like a lifetime. "I take it you are somewhat familiar with the bistros in the area as well?" The nurse had no idea why she was asking the question. Perhaps it was just so that she had a reason to stay as she had exhausted all the medical related reasons.

Blue eyes watched her intently before the detective responded. To the nurse it felt like she was being studied. Perhaps that was just the detective in her patient. Perhaps it was just her nature. Either way it was making her feel a little uncomfortable. Sam could sense that she was making the slightly younger woman feel unsettled and felt guilty. That was not the usual for her. "Probably not as well as you do. I'm thankfully not here only a few times a week. Work is too good unfortunately. Plus I've only been in New York for about a year now."

"Well that's not long enough to really know the city." Abby felt like sitting down and keeping the conversation going but she knew that she had to get back to her other patients. That disappointed the woman and she could not say why. "Me, I'm a native. Lived here all my life. Haven't really been anywhere else but here." One eyebrow rose on her patient's face and she knew she was babbling. For some reason she could not help it. This woman was doing something to her that no one ever had before. "Sorry. I'm rambling. I'll let you get some rest. Besides, duty calls."

Just as she made it to the door she heard the sultry voice of her patient call out to her. The blond turned and looked deep into the blue eyes of the woman that with just that look took her breath for a moment. "Perhaps when I'm out of this joint you can show me around." _What the hell are you doing? She's a nurse. She's got a wedding ring on. She's not into women. So what do you think you are doing flirting with her like this? Friends, that's it. You just want a friend. Yeah right!_

It was easy to tell exactly how the nurse felt about that. Her face was beaming so brightly that it almost hurt the detective to look at her. _Well that's the last thing I thought she would say to me._ Her conversation with her friend Emily flashed through her mind. _Yep, I'm definitely interested in women. I just wonder if she feels the same way. Tread lightly, Jones. She's a patient and you're still her nurse. So even if she is feeling the same way you can't do this._ "I'd love to." S_eriously?_ But her eyes were beaming at the dark haired woman never remembering having been this bold before.

They looked at each other for a few moments more before she opened the door. She held it open as Sam's mother had returned. Instead of dining at the café she had gotten her order to go. "Hello, Abby." The nurse smiled warmly at her and went back to the nurse's station. The older woman tracked her daughter's eyes as they stared after the blond. She had seen the look many times before. _Well either my daughter is in trouble or that nurse or both._ The innkeeper managed to muffle a chuckle she felt coming on. "So you've got a cute little nurse taking care of you."

Sam finally was able to tear her eyes away from the empty door suddenly feeling just a little hollow inside. That was a new feeling and she wasn't sure if she liked it especially since she was not sure where it was coming from. "She's cute. But she's also married. Plus we are patient/nurse so whatever you are thinking, Mother, just put it out of your head." Her voice was stern almost as if she was the parent chastising the child.

Before her mother could say anything there was a knock on the door. That got a raised eyebrow out of the detective. One of the guards opened the door and walked in just enough so that he could close the door behind him. "There's a woman here. She's not on the list. She does have a badge but you know the drill." He looked at the tall dark haired woman who nodded. "Says she's a friend of yours as well as a coworker. Her name is Susie Munson."

That brought a smile back to the detective's face. "You bet your ass she's a friend of mine. Tell the lab rat to get in here." Sam turned to her mother. "It's about time you met my best friend." Now it was the older woman's turn to get a raised eyebrow. "I know. I never really had any friends that were girls back home. But since I've been here I've, well, things have been a little different especially the past couple weeks. Susie has helped me through some things." She gave her mother the 'we'll talk later' look. Her best friend made her way in and stood by the bed. "Susie this is my mother Melissa."

Susie instantly got a goofy grin on her face. "It's about time I met some of your family." She made her way over to where the older woman was seated snacking on her lunch. The lab rat held out her hand and it was gladly taken. "I've known your daughter now for a year. No better friend in the world you could have." She caught the look that mother shot daughter and wondered what it was about. "We worked a case together and we've been friends ever since."

"I'm glad my daughter has a 'friend'." The way that she said 'friend' caused a glare emanating from her daughter that would freeze hell it was so icy and intent. Her mother quickly understood that she had overstepped and decided that she better do the quick exit and allow the two friends to catch up. "If you'll excuse me I think I'll go and get something to drink to wash this wonderful lunch down." Deciding on another tactic she turned to her daughter. "Perhaps your cute nurse can show me where the vending machines are." She winked at her daughter.

As she was opening the door she heard her daughter's frustrated voice. "You've been here a week Mother. You know where they are!" The detective shook her head trying not to jostle her head too much. Her mother was starting to give her a headache. "You know, when she first found out that I was a lesbian she was so surprised that she still set me up with guys. But then all of a sudden she decides to accept it. Ever since then she's tried to get me to settle down with this woman or that. Man!"

"I thought you just said it was women." Susie got a smack on the arm for her comment but smiled anyways. Her smile faded quickly as she decided to get to the reason for her visit. "I know we can't talk about the case but there is something I thought you should know. I told Waters about it. Not sure what he did with the information since the FBI have taken over. Man are they into everything in the lab. I can't even take a breath without running into one of the feds."

Sam nodded though her partner had not told her anything of what Susie had told him and wondered what that meant. Perhaps he was just trying to keep her calm and anything that would upset her he would keep from her. He was just that kind of guy. "Well, he hasn't said a thing to me which is a bit strange but then I am just stuck in here." She saw the hesitation in her friend's eyes and said, "Oh no! Not you! You are here and you are going to tell me what you found out."

The lab rat swallowed but decided that she better not keep it from her friend now. She wished she had checked with Waters about it but that was a little late for thinking about that. Reluctantly she handed her best friend a folder she had been carrying. Though not a cop the lab rat knew very well that even in the hospital there could be ears everywhere so she decided that she better give her friend a hard copy. "I think this explains a lot."

The detective took the folder and scanned quickly the document. Her eyes went from the papers to her friend in an instant. Her eyes had grown wide. She could hardly believe what she was seeing. "I assume you…" As if knowing what her friend was asking, Susie nodded yes. _Of course she double if not tripled checked her findings. Well, that does explain a lot. So, the DNA is tied to the son of one of the biggest cartels in New York. I'll be damned! I hope that Waters is not in trouble because of this._

As if Sam had some kind of ESP a shot rang out in an alley not far from where her partner had just interviewed the victim that she herself had intended to interview the morning of her 'accident'. Detective Steven Waters ran to his police car and radioed in that there had been a fatal shooting and that he was the one that had done the shooting. It wasn't long before more police cars and even some local media had shown up.

A blond woman entered the alley unseen by anyone through a door that appeared to be boarded shut. Quickly she took the gun that the dead man had had with him and made sure the door was actually now solidly shut. The gun was placed in her back holster that she had emptied just for the occasion. As the coroner and Captain Jon Leik came around the corner she flashed her badge at them. The captain was the first to speak. "What were you just sitting in your car waiting to strike?"

Sierra Gregors just smiled politely at the man. Partly because she knew the stigma that came with being from IA and partly because she needed to make sure this went down the right way. There were only a few people that had seen the DNA report. Waters was one of them of course. The next person that would have to go somehow was Susie Munson. But for now she had to make this look like it was going by the book. "Well, we know how the media is these days so we have to pounce on it. I only have one question that needs answering. Where is the weapon? Without it, this looks like a bad shooting."

The captain eyed the young blond woman. His gut was churning telling him that this woman could not be trusted and it was not simply because she was part of the rat squad. No, this was because she probably should be investigated by the rat squad. But at the moment he only had his gut to go on. "Well, if that's the case I'll ask for his gun and badge and we'll suspend him until we get this matter cleared up." _You want to play games little girl? Oh we'll play games all right._

The IA agent eyed him suspiciously never having any captain roll over and play dead for one of his detectives. Maybe he was just a seasoned vet that knew the drill. Or maybe she better be extremely careful. She already had Jenny Monroe on her ass she didn't need some lame cop after it too. "That's up to you though that is standard procedure. I'll meet you back at the station. You can arrange for his union rep or a lawyer before we start the interview process." She never waited for an answer instead just went for her car.

The captain watched her the entire time making sure she was out of sight. Before the coroner could get to the body Jon put a hand on his shoulder. "This is going to be against regulations but let me just do one thing real quickly before you start." His old friend eyed him but nodded his head. The captain made his way his squad car and got out his little forensic kit. He rubbed first one hand and then the other on a cotton cloth. He sprayed it with something. When it came to the victim's left hand it tested positive for gunpowder.

Well that clinched what he had been thinking and sighed heavily. He turned to his old friend. "You never saw a thing. It's safer for you that way." The old man nodded in understanding and went on about his business. The captain took his evidence and threw it in a dumpster not far from where the body was lying. It would do him no good. He knew how the game was played. Anything that would exonerate his detective would end up missing somehow. Anything that would make him look guilty would make the front page of the newspapers and every news channel for days.

_Here we go again. I thought we were done with the days when I had to watch my damn back and the ones that work for me. First Sam now Steve. This keeps up I'm not going to have a squad left. Damn the crooks are winning._ Not wanting to use his phone he knew that there was one person he needed to talk to besides of course Detective Waters. The man barked some orders before getting into his car and taking off.

Susie was just coming out of Sam's room when the captain showed up. He pulled her aside. "You might want to clean house." The lab rat's eyes grew big in understanding. The last time something like this happened a rouge politician corrupted half the police force. No one was safe then and she suspected no one was now. No more words were spoken between the two. Instead he made his way into the room that held his detective. A cute blond nurse was busy taking vitals and the such.

"Captain." Sam's voice was a bit subdued. Not that he wouldn't visit her but this was the middle of his normal shift. That meant one of two things. Either he was tired of the office which happened and he needed a breather or something bad had happened. "This is my cute little nurse Abby and she has been very attentive to me." Her face turned a little pink as she realized what she had said about the nurse. "This is my boss."

Abby smiled at him. "Nice to meet you sir." She held out a hand. Her mind was a little scattered after hearing what her patient had called her. For now she decided it was best if she just ignored it. Quickly she finished up what she needed to do and left the room to leave the two colleagues to their discussion. Her heart soared until she saw her husband come around the corner. He pinned her to the wall careful to keep out of sight of everyone. "Kevin." He grabbed her jaw forcefully and stared with deadly intent into her eyes.

"You listen up, bitch." Dr. Jones voice was full of venom. She had never heard him speak to anyone like this not even when she had made him mad beyond words. "If you think I'll let you just walk out on me you've got another thing coming to you. I have a piece of paper that says you are mine. I own you until the day you die." He straightened up and looked her right in the eye. "That day can be arranged you know. Things are known to happen. A slip. A fall."

Not waiting for a response the doctor left his wife with the grim thoughts in her mind. One moment she had been happy that someone had called her 'cute'. It had been forever since her husband had complimented her looks or anything else for that matter. An almost stranger had said it about her and had made her feel so good. She closed her eyes and tried to get her trembling body under control and the stop the tears from falling. She still had two hours to go on her shift. After that she was terrified to even leave the hospital. She was terrified to be anywhere because she knew Kevin could be anywhere.

Inside the room she had just left another grim conversation in code had taken place. Now Sam knew her fears were coming true. Anyone that was connected to her was in trouble if not physically at least they were going to get in trouble in other ways. The fact that her old nemesis was involved really made her wonder if the bitch had something to do with it. If only she could get out of the bed she would set a lot of people straight and wouldn't regret a thing. Well there was one thing. But that could never be and she sighed at just how complicated her life had gotten. A bad feeling hit her and she said, "Jon, do me a favor. Get a protection detail on my mom."


	5. Chapter 5

AN-Just wanted to thank you for reading. Hope you are enjoying. Any feedback or suggestions always welcome!

Abby leaned against the wall. Her jaw actually hurt just a little where her husband had grabbed her to make sure she was looking into those cold eyes that now terrified her. Her first thought wasn't her own safety. Her first thought was what kind of danger she was putting her best friend Emily in. If her husband found out where she was staying that would put her friend's life in danger. Oh that was not something that she liked at all. That was something that she hated more than life.

It might be funny to some how instead of thinking of herself and the possible danger she was in her thoughts were on her friend. But that was just who Abby was. She had this big heart that could love anyone. Her first instincts were to put herself in harm's way instead letting someone else get hurt. Perhaps she should move to some cheap motel until she could find someplace else to stay. Emily would probably hate the idea but she would be damned if she was going to let Kevin hurt anyone she cared for.

And then his words came back hauntingly. What was worse was that look. She knew now what that old saying 'if looks could kill' really meant. The emotional strain of going from elated at having someone actually notice her to actually having her life threatened was just too much for the nurse to handle. Not even caring where she was at the moment she silently slid down the wall. Her head was resting on her knees with her arms wrapped around her legs. Silent sobs were wracking her body.

Time got away from the nurse and she never even heard the page calling her back to the nurse's station. She just remained in the emotional lump on the ground. Suddenly there was a warm hand on her shoulder. It took a lot of strength just to lift her head as she was now physically drained as well as emotionally. It startled her to see herself looking into familiar blue eyes. They weren't the ones attached to the woman she knew she was extremely attracted but still were very friendly indeed. "Melissa."

The older woman cringed when she heard the pain in the nurse's voice. Not only was their pain but it had been raspy and it was obvious that she had been crying. Just a short while earlier she had watched the young blond be as happy as could be. To her eyes it had seemed that her daughter and the nurse had been flirting shamelessly with one another. Now the nurse's eyes and nose were red and puffy. Her heart instantly went out to the girl no matter what the problem was.

Abby managed to somehow get to her feet. When she started to sway a little the older woman decided she needed to sit down somewhere. Her daughter had just drifted off to sleep after someone from the physical therapy department had gotten done torturing her for half an hour. That worried the innkeeper as she knew her daughter was quite strong and that her mind over pain was something to behold. A memory of an eight year old girl walking home with a broken foot still never ceased to amaze her.

As the nurse swayed as they walked, Melissa put her arm around her shoulder and Abby put her arm around dear Melissa's waist. Not being all that familiar with the hospital she decided to take her to the cafeteria. At this time of the day it would probably not be all that busy and hoped that it would afford the young nurse some apparently much needed privacy. The walk to the elevators and then the ride down were quite quiet. Even when they got to the cafeteria and found a secluded table in the back the nurse just sat there.

Melissa decided that the girl needed something warm and soothing to drink. In a few moments she returned with two hot chocolates and a piece of chocolate cake. Abby stared at the steam coming from the cup for a long moment before she managed to look up at the older woman she had only known a few hours. From the first time that they had met there had been something familiar about the older woman and she felt very comfortable sitting there with her. But could she confide something like this to a practical stranger?

Maybe it was better that she did confide in someone that she barely knew. There would be awkwardness but only while Melissa's daughter was in the hospital. Most likely after that she would never see the older woman again. From time to time she might just see Sam. That gave her a warm thought and the hint of a smile, for a very brief moment, played at the corners of her mouth. "Thank you for the hot chocolate."

The innkeeper reached across the tiny table and put her hand on the nurse's arm. Their eyes met once again and somehow the older woman just knew. She was not sure how she knew but she did. Sam had been right. The blond woman was married but it was not a happy marriage. Perhaps she knew because of how many couples had come to her bed and breakfast trying one last time to salvage a marriage that was just beyond repair. It was like trying to stop a leak in a dam with a piece of bubble gum.

But that wasn't exactly this look either though. This was a worse look. It was the look of someone that was in a relationship that wasn't good for them. This was the look of someone that desperately needed help but was either too afraid or too weak to ask for it. From what little she knew of the nurse she would have to guess that it was the former and not that latter. "You don't need to tell me anything if you don't want to, my dear. Just know that I'm here for you."

In fact the woman pulled a piece of scrap paper out of her small purse and wrote down a phone number. Without a word she handed it to the nurse and gave her arm a squeeze. They sat there for several minutes when the page for Abby went over the PA system once again. She took the piece of paper and put it in her pocket charmed that a woman that knew nothing about her would take an interest in her. It was probably partly the reason her daughter had become a police officer. The need to help people which the nurse could totally relate to.

"I thank you for just getting me out of everyone's staring eyes. I'm going to go and splash some cold water on my face and get back to work." Abby glanced at her watch and got a little bit of a scared look on her face. She quickly wiped it off hoping that the older woman would not have noticed. "Well, only about twenty more minutes and my shift is over. I can go home and have a good cry in private." She was half joking and half serious.

"Look, if it's too serious just remember that my daughter is a police officer. More than just a police officer she's a SVU detective. If anyone can help you out it's her." With the look that the nurse gave her the innkeeper quickly continued. "I won't say a word I promise. At least not unless you want me to. Just keep in mind, honey that you are not alone. That you have friends." Melissa stood and gave the younger woman a hug. "Friends you've only known for a few hours." She winked at the blond, squeezed her hand and took off toward the elevators.

Stunned at the affection shone to her by someone that was no longer a stranger but a new friend, Abby could not keep the grin off from her face. Quickly she made her way to one of the bathrooms and freshened up the best that she could. Quickly she went back to the nurse's station. The head nurse was going to yell at her but saw the redness of her eyes. That was enough for the older lady as a realization shown on her face and instead simply handed the younger nurse the chart of the newest arrival on the floor.

Abby started for the room but stopped just outside Sam's room. The tall dark haired woman was now fully awake and talking to her mother. Melissa happened to look over at the door. When she saw the nurse standing there she winked once again at her. The blond nurse winked back and slowly went on to settle in the new patient. Though her life still sucked at the moment the nurse knew that she was extremely lucky to have a dear friend in Emily and now a new friend in Melissa.

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Sam caught the wink that her mother gave towards the door to her hospital room. Turning just fast enough to see a wink back from the cute blond nurse caused her to look back at her mother. The innkeeper had this impish look on her face and she knew in an instant that her mother was up to something. "You better not be trying to set me up with that nurse." Melissa's attention was immediately brought to her daughter from the blond nurse that she was now worried about. The look was gone. "Mother?" Melissa tried to fain a look of innocence but failed miserably.

Now there was a bit of concern on the detective's face. Melissa quickly avoided looking at her daughter. If she was going to keep her promise to her new friend she would have to come up with something to distract her daughter. One thing that made her a good detective was that she was like a dog with a bone. She never knew when to give up. So, what to say that she could not later have used against her. First she had to look at her daughter. Sighing she said, "You were right. She is married. But I think it's not a happy marriage, no I know it is not." Her look pleaded to her daughter to accept this and not ask anything more.

The protective streak that was a mile and a half wide that was so ingrained in the detective went into full alert. Oh how the dark haired woman wanted to prod her mother, no interrogate, to find out what she had meant by the last remark. Had someone physically hurt the nurse and that's how her mother knew? If not, how would her mother know that the nurse was not happily married? Taking several deep breaths Sam decided she would respect her mother's wishes. "That's too bad. Perhaps you can maybe make her feel better? Take her to dinner?"

Melissa was surprised at how easily that her daughter was seeming to give up or had she? Perhaps it was that she was just respecting her mother for once. Perhaps the detective knew something about pushing when it came to someone in a not great relationship. Though her daughter had only been in SVU a year, her mother had seen enough of the newspaper clippings that her daughter kept to know just what kind of sick world her daughter dealt with. "Are you trying to get rid of me?" The older woman's smile was one that would light up any room. Underneath the surface she was very worried about her new friend.

Before Sam could answer the nurse in question made her way into the room. Instead of her cheery self who had been just chattering away earlier there was a reserved woman who was simply going through the motions. It broke the detective's heart to see her like this. That reaction was a little strong to someone she just barely knew. Plus in her line of work it was not a good thing to get emotionally involved at least not without dire consequences. She'd seen it before and was smart enough not to get involved.

"Are you all right?" Or was she. _What in the hell do you think that you are doing? Idiot! Idiot! This woman is someone that is a stranger to you. She's here to take care of you because that's her job. Nothing more. Just stop it now before you start getting emotionally involved._ The look on her mother's face was priceless. It was somewhere between shock and knowing. _That's right mother. I'm being the biggest moron this side of Lake Ontario._

Abby looked at her patient as she had been writing on her chart. There was a distance in her gaze like she wasn't even seeing Sam lying there but was instead looking through her. It had not been a long time, unfortunately, since the detective had seen that look on someone's face. It had been just a couple weeks ago when a woman had reported her spouse hitting her. That same faraway look was on the woman's face as she told the tale and it had tugged at the detective's heart strings.

But not like the way it was when she thought about the nurse being hurt, whether it be emotionally or physically. It went back to that connection that she seemed to feel to this blond woman that had really only been in her life for what eight hours now? There was no real explanation for why this would be happening. All she knew was that she wanted to wrap the woman in her arms and make her feel better. And that feeling went back to what she had been feeling as of late. It was time that the detective settle down. But this woman was out of her league, right?

The blond nurse put the chart back down and sat down on the edge of the bed. Her green eyes got lost into blue ones for a moment before she took her patient's hand in her own. There were unwritten rules she was breaking by being this close to a patient. This was not her trying to find a better way to take a pulse or check her IV. No, this was just Abby getting emotionally involved with a woman. When their hands touched she almost pulled away as there was an actual flow of energy that seemed to ebb from one woman to the other.

It was like just in that one moment and that one touch their lives had been reconnected after so long a time spent apart. But that was silly. That could not be as they had never met until that fateful early morning when an ambulance brought this tall gorgeous dark haired woman into her life. Right then and there she wanted to tell the woman everything that was going on. For some reason she felt safe with the tall dark haired woman despite the fact that she was still badly injured. Was it as simple as she was a detective or was there more to it than that?

It took a moment for her to gather her thoughts she was so engrossed in the blue eyes studying her as well as dealing with the physical affects that she felt at the simple touch. She felt like she was swimming in the ocean and the waves were gently caressing her and making her feel light as a feather and like she could do anything. That was the effect that this practical stranger had on her. Finally she found her voice surprising herself with the words she spoke. "I'm not all right. But soon I will be. I may need your help once you are up to it."

_What the...! Where did that come from, Abby? I mean seriously. She is a cop and it is her job to help when there is a threat of violence and Kevin really did threaten you. He's never hit you before though Lord knows he had never been the kindest emotionally towards you. But to say something like that? Are you really preparing yourself for the worst or are you just worming yourself in deeper with this practical stranger yet captivating woman?_

Sam had had to concentrate hard on the words the nurse had spoken when finally she had uttered them. She had instantly been distracted by the sensation she got when the blond had touched her hand. It was like nothing she had ever experienced in her life. There were no words for how it made her feel and she was left speechless even after the woman spoke. It was an odd sensation as the world seemed to go away. They were not in a hospital room. Her mother was not standing watching the whole exchange. It was as if there were only two people in the world just the detective and the nurse.

When she finally could think it was to berate herself once again. _Seriously, Walker, what the hell do you think you are doing? Asking her if she was all right? She's just someone that is doing her job. You've never asked anyone else if they were having a bad day. But she looks so cute and so kissable…Stop that right now! She's married and she's straight so get your mind off her in that way and focus on what you can do. Be a cop and that's it you hear me Walker!_ "I know I'm laid up at the moment but I could contact my partner. Perhaps…"

The detective was cut off by Abby's quickly spoken words. "I appreciate that, I do. I really just need time to think about what I need to do first." She looked into blue eyes that were like pools of water that were so deep that she could drown in them. Again it made it hard to concentrate on what she wanted to say. _This is unreal. I've never felt this connected to anyone and especially not after knowing them for just a few hours._ "I guess I need some advice."

Breaking into the world that the nurse and detective had somehow lost themselves in Melissa's voice rang out causing both women to jump slightly. Even so, Abby's hand never left Sam's. It was as if she now needed this contact as much as she needed air to breathe. It was insane really. "Well perhaps an old fuddy duddy like me can be of some assistance." Green eyes and blue turned to take in the older woman's presence. "I'm not a cop and I'm not a therapist but I've studied people for years while running a bed and breakfast. So why don't I take you out to dinner, young lady?"

Abby knew that her friend Emily would probably still be sleeping as she had inherited the night shift in the ER that she had just given up that day. That was one of the hardest things to get used to was switching shifts when going from the floor to the ER or vice versa. But both nurses were luckily used to it after a few years of it. For a moment she hesitated. This was sort of like getting involved with a patient but it wasn't really. This was a patient's mother so it was the same thing. Wasn't it?

The nurse looked back at her patient whose blue eyes were now twinkling almost like the stars when they came out to play. It gave the tall formidable woman a childlike grace and it endured the nurse even more to her patient. Sighing heavily knowing that this was a thin line she was treading she decided to go ahead and cross it as she really needed someone that was objective to the situation. Emily loved her dearly and she had never liked Kevin so she was a little biased.

Oh her friend was more than just a little biased if Abby was honest with herself. While not ever coming out and actually saying it she had been after her for quite some time to leave her husband. Would it have been easier had she done this earlier and not let things prolong? After Kevin's words to her just a short time before she highly doubted that. That thought was enough to drive her resolve right over a cliff. "I'm actually going off duty now. When would be a good time for you? I don't want to keep you from your daughter."

The nurse felt a squeeze on her hand and she turned to see a grin on the detective's face. It was one of those mischievous kinds of smiles that was both playful looking and scary looking at the same time. "You'll be doing me a favor. All she does is sit around the hospital all day looking at my ugly mug." That got both the young nurse and the innkeeper's dander up just a bit. "She needs fresh air and a more companionable person to be around. I'm a very difficult patient and if anyone knows that it would be my mother."

Abby looked down at their hands that were still touching. Then she looked back at the face of the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. She heard Melissa take a breath to say something but before the innkeeper could get out whatever it was that she wanted to say, the nurse had beaten her to the punch. "First off you are not that difficult of a patient. An impatient patient maybe but not difficult." It was her turn to squeeze the detective's hand. "Secondly I think you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. You could have been a model had you wanted to be."

That got both younger women blushing. It also finally caused both women to pull away as both knew that a line had been crossed. The detective was hoping that the nurse had said the latter thing and meant it in a way she knew she could not. The nurse was not wanting to take what she had said back exactly just wishing she had not said it at that exact moment in time. There was an awkward silence for several moments before Melissa finally broke it. "Can I meet you somewhere for dinner? I can take a cab and meet you there."

Finally Abby broke out of her stupor and reluctantly turned to the older woman grateful that she had ended the awkward silence and basically pushed the last statement aside for later scrutiny. And the nurse knew that both women would be going over that statement for quite some time. "If you want I can pick you up here. No need for you to pay for a taxi cab. I'm sure it's getting expensive going from wherever you are staying to the hospital and back. How about seven?"

Melissa nodded in agreement. Seeing the still sad look on the nurse's face she pulled her into a gentle hug before she answered. "Sounds like a good plan. I'll see you at seven out front." Abby nodded and did a little more fluffing of pillows and other fussing before she turned and walked out the door. She turned back to wave at the mother/daughter duo before leaving. The innkeeper turned her attention back to her daughter. "Are you trying to set her up with me or you?"

"Mother!" Sam tried to get her body to calm down. Just that simple constant touch from the nurse had her body aching for more but in a very good way. And to top it all off now there was a slight possibility that something could happen. Not many straight women would say 'you are the most beautiful woman I've seen' and 'you could have been a model'. No, those were lines that she herself had used once upon a time to seduce a woman. "You were the one that asked her out to dinner, not me."

Melissa crossed her arms over her chest. This was her serious pose and one that Sam knew all too well. She'd seen it so many times during her childhood that it was ingrained into her memory and knew that it meant 'you better listen up and listen good or else'. The 'or else' could be as simple as a teasing word to a gentle swat on the behind. That was one thing her mother or her father had never done. They had never really spanked any of the siblings. But the feeling of disappointing her mother had always been the greatest punishment.

After a long moment of the 'look' she was getting from her mother she put her arms up in mock surrender. She knew exactly what her mother was referring to. The detective had goaded the woman into saying those wonderful things about her. Why? That was something that was probably going to cost the dark haired woman some sleep the next few nights. "I'm sorry, Mother. I was just trying to get her to agree. She really looks like she needs a friend." Suddenly the detective cursed. "Damn it! Waters can't help her. He's on suspension. Right now I don't know who to trust."

After a long moment of silence, Melissa came and took the place that Abby had just so recently vacated. She took the same hand that the nurse had held and gently squeezed it. "You can trust yourself and you can trust me. I know I'm not a cop but I'm still good with people. So if there is something that you need…" Her words were cut off by a gentle squeeze. Ever since they had spent so much time together as the older woman had gotten through her scare with cancer words were sometimes just a formality. They just knew what the other was thinking. Right now they were both thinking there was a sweet innocent young woman that needed someone. Between the two of them they would be that someone.

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Susie Munson had stopped at the hospital cafeteria to get herself a coffee and a small salad to tide her over until she got home. Her husband would most likely be waiting for her. It was their date night. They both worked long hours and were sometimes like two ships passing in the night so they made sure that they took at least one night no matter how tired they were to spend with one another. This was their special night and the lab rat was looking forward to it.

She was especially looking forward to it considering the fact that she had been told by the captain to 'clean house'. By that she would have to get rid of all hard copies of the results of a certain DNA test as well as permanently delete the file on the computer. That was something she hated doing, messing with evidence like that. But she would rather do that and face some kind of reprimand, even her job, if it meant that she could keep her life and her husband's safe.

Though she loved her job very much and the satisfaction of putting away some of the worst criminals over the years was satisfying, she also knew that hers was as dangerous a job as her friend the detective's was. Sam of course was out there in the streets and who knew when someone was going to take an exception to a question and do something stupid like pull a knife, or worse a gun. But the lab rat worked for the city and she was listed so that anyone in the public could easily find her name including the criminals that she helped put behind bars.

The lab rat knew that her job scared her husband sometimes. It scared her sometimes like now. She and Sam both knew what they were going against now and would have to tread lightly when it came to asking too many questions. In fact she had decided not to ask any unless Sam, her partner or the captain asked her to. Those three were truly the only ones that she thought that she could trust with her safety and knew that there was no price to turn them against doing what was right.

Susie took her time walking to her vehicle in the visitor's parking lot. Carefully she looked up and down the rows of cars trying to see if anyone was around. Sam had taught her how to approach her vehicle whether it be daylight or the middle of the night. Seeing that there was no one around, she slowly approached the vehicle. Something under her driver side window wiper caught her eye right away. Once again she looked around not seeing anyone and took the white piece of paper in her hand.

'Tires aren't the only thing that can be slashed. If you know what is good for you, you'll forget what you think you know'. Susie quickly looked at her tires. Both driver side tires had been slashed. She slowly made her way around the car but took out a can of mace before she did so. The same was on the other side and she knew that she was in big trouble. She debated for a moment whether she should go back and tell Sam what had happened or call the captain.

Since her friend was laid up she decided to call the captain. She spoke briefly with him and he told her to wait at the hospital entrance for a police car he was sending over. Of course she was wondering if she could trust those officers but really had no choice. Her next call was to her husband telling him she'd be a little late and only that she was held up at work. Finally she called AAA and arranged for her car to be towed to the nearest tire store.

The wait was agonizing but finally two officers showed up. Reluctantly she got in the back of the squad car well aware that she would not be able to open the doors once they were shut. She held her breath the entire time that she was in the squad car and finally only exhaled when she was dropped off outside of her apartment. The woman practically ran up the stairs but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw something was attached to the door.

There was a picture of her husband at his office. He was a lawyer for one of the more prestigious law firms in the city. There was a rope drawn in around his neck indicating that her husband had been hung. With shaking hands she opened the door having dropped her keys several times as getting the key into the hole with her hands the way they were nearly had been impossible. The apartment looked like it should but her heart skipped a beat when she heard no noise.

As she went from room to room she could not help but think maybe just maybe her husband had just worked a little later than she thought. But she had just talked to him and told him she was going to be late. He had said he'd be waiting at home for her. By this time her heart was beating in her ears and it was difficult for her to even breathe. Finally she made it to their bedroom. Her husband was sound asleep on the bed not harmed one inch.

Susie made her way to the bed and pounced on a very surprised lawyer. She just held him and kept crying and crying. Finally she handed him the picture and felt her husband stiffen in her grip. In that moment they both knew that their lives were not going to be the same. Probably not going to be the same for a very long time. The couple just held on to one another for dear life hating how unfair the justice system was at times.

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Kevin Jones had traded shifts with a colleague so that he could follow his wife. While he was financially all right and could have hired a private investigator he chose to do it himself. He wanted to for two reasons. One he always thought that if you wanted something done right do it yourself. And secondly he wanted to see for his own eyes just who it was that his wife was seeing behind his back. That was the only reason that she would be contemplating leaving him, right?

The doctor had rented a black SUV with tinted windows under a false name and was wearing black leather gloves. Though the sun was not out he had dark sunglasses on and was wearing a hooded sweatshirt. After catching a glimpse of himself in the rear view mirror he chuckled at the image. He almost looked like the damn Unabomber from years long ago. It fit the mood he was in and he was ready to explode if his wife was actually seeing someone behind his back.

At the very least he wanted to find out where his wife was staying. His first instinct was her best friend's place but he knew it well. There were so many security cameras and doorman that there would be no way that he could get that close to the building without being spotted. So he decided to just follow her and see where she was going. Sure enough the blond bitch was pulling into the secured underground parking lot of Emily Dunst's apartment building.

The tall dark haired man cursed loudly. But at least she was only staying with her best friend. That was something that he could handle. The doctor managed to find a place to park on the street and waited. He waited for several hours before his wife emerged from the building. She was dressed casually in black jeans and a red sweater along with a light blue jacket. Her beauty still took his breath away every time he saw her not that he would tell her. No, that was something he would never say. He shouldn't have to. That was why he got married so he wouldn't have to keep whispering sweet nothings into her ears.

The doctor waited until she got just a little ahead of him before he pulled out. Her red car was somewhat easy to follow along and he was glad he insisted she get that color for just this reason. After a little while he realized that she was heading back to the hospital. This was not making sense to the doctor as he held back so that she could not see him. A familiar older woman came bounding out of the doors of the main entrance of the hospital and she got into the front seat.

Once again they were on the street and he was following the unlikely pair of women. It wasn't long and they were pulling into the parking structure across from his wife's favorite restaurant. He managed to find a parking spot almost to the corner of the street. In the rear view mirror he watched them cross the busy street and go into the restaurant. He argued with himself for a bit before he decided to follow after them. He just hoped he could get close enough to hear them.

After a few moments he was able to walk in the place without anyone noticing him. He stood just outside the booth that they were seated in. It was like acid being poured into his ears as the woman he was married to was telling a total stranger the most intimate details of their lives. The words of sorrow and anger and fear never penetrated the brain of the doctor. All he was hearing was betrayal after betrayal after betrayal.

After not being able to stand it anymore, the doctor quickly went to his SUV and sat there waiting for his wife and her new friend to come out. Instead of maintaining his distance he was stuck to his wife's car like glue. When the light in front of them turned red instead of stopping he gunned the much larger vehicle at his wife's. All he could think about was getting revenge and taking out the trash because now that was all his wife was to him anymore was trash. Perhaps he would also put the trash in an incinerator. That gave the doctor a warm feeling. A very, very warm feeling indeed.


	6. Chapter 6

The ride from the hospital to the restaurant had been quiet with the exception of a few observations by Melissa. The older woman had made it a point to tell the younger woman that she had only been to New York a handful of times and never really had been sightseeing. It had usually been on business as in trying to find some antiques for her bed and breakfast or some other item for her pride and joy. Of course her real pride and joy were her children and grandchildren.

Finally they had pulled into the parking garage and walked the short distance to 'The Experience'. While the restaurant sounded fancy it was nothing but a slightly better maintained diner. Once they were seated and looking at the menus Abby decided to explain her choice in places for dinner. "You see I sometimes think that I'm just a country girl at heart. I used to love when my family went camping. So a simple diner is really what I'm comfortable with. Kevin, my soon to be ex-husband, hates this place."

Melissa could hear the pain and sadness in the nurse's voice. Though they were virtual strangers she could and did feel for the young woman. While her marriage had not been picture perfect it had been a wonderful experience. She felt sorry for anyone that had to go through anything like this. A part of her really hoped that her daughter would be able to help her through this as well. "Well I grew up in my bed and breakfast so I am a country girl." They both laughed. "I never felt comfortable in the city. To be honest I don't think Sam is either."

That surprised the nurse a little. What little she had been around the detective she had thought that she was comfortable here. But then that just showed how little they really knew about each other even though the nurse still swore that there was a connection between them like they had known each other a long time ago. Silly because she never believed in past lives or reincarnation and yet still the feeling would not go away. "I have some vacation time coming. Maybe I could escape the big city for a while and stay with you."

That got a smile out of the older woman. "You wouldn't have to pay for a thing." When the nurse started to protest the innkeeper quickly continued. "I do all right for myself. But to tell you the truth it gets a little lonely with mostly strangers around. My two boys have lives of their own and you know about Sam. I try to see my grandkids as often as I can. Still, it just seems my life is empty." She got a faraway look. It may have been over twenty years since her husband had died yet it was still painful and made her sad. "But enough about this old woman. I thought that we were here to talk about you."

That got a little laugh out of the nurse. _She's direct. I like it. I think her daughter got that from her. I'm going to have to remember to tell Sam when we are alone about what her mother just said. I don't want to break a confidence but at the same time I don't want her unhappy._ "Well the quick version is that I met Kevin while at nursing school. He was one of the instructors. He was charming and good looking and I fell for the whole act. As soon as we got married, he changed. He got colder. He treated me more like a housekeeper than a wife. Then…"

Melissa reached over and took the nurse's hand in her own. They were interrupted by the waitress who took their order and was back in just a few minutes with their drinks. The whole time the older woman had kept her hand on the younger ones. She squeezed the hand in comfort. "Let me guess, he became possessive and cruel and really just treated you like you were there to be eye candy for him not caring what you thought or said."

Abby was surprised that the innkeeper had hit the nail with the hammer and without really having to listen to her prattle on. Her first thought was the innkeeper's marriage had been like that but no. The look she got on her face and saying how lonely she was had told the nurse that the woman had had a pretty decent marriage. "It's like you read my mind." She paused and what the older woman had said at the hospital rang true. "You have had a lot of experience reading people."

The dark haired woman laughed at the comment. "I've spent a lifetime reading people. Anyone in customer service gets really good at reading people. It makes your job a whole lot easier that's for sure." She noticed the faraway expression on the younger woman's face. Their meals arrived so she waited until they were eating before she continued. "I've just found that it's hard to read the people that you are closest to. I have a devil of a time reading my children."

That got a little more cheerful look upon the blond woman's face. "It is true what they say that you are blind to the people you care about. I want to say love but I really don't think I ever loved Kevin. In fact…" The nurse quickly took a sip of the ice water she was drinking with her dinner. Even after swallowing her mouth was dry and she felt like she could drink a gallon of water. Was she really going to share something this intimate with a stranger? Something that she had just recently shared with her best friend in the world? "I, um, well…"

It was a familiar conversation that Melissa seemed to be having only with a woman she'd known for less than a day instead of that long ago day when her daughter had the same conversation. It surprised her to no end that this woman would think that highly of her and that she would confide something this momentous to her. Of course she might be mistaken and she might not follow through on the admission. In fact it was time to steer the conversation back to why she was so upset today. While Sam would be thrilled if this woman that sat before her was 'available' the emotional status of the nurse was more important. "When you're ready you can tell me. Meantime, what happened today?"

Abby's mind went to a jumble. She took a bite of her dinner not really tasting it though it was her favorite dish. She loved salmon for some reason and could never seem to get enough of it. It was like it was something she was destined to eat. It was sort of how she felt about meeting Sam. "Well, Kevin got served with the divorce papers. He really didn't take it well." She swallowed hard and once again her mouth felt like the Sahara Desert. The waitress came by with a water pitcher gave her glass a refill. "Thanks." She managed to get the rest of it out in one long quick sentence. "He actually threatened me I think but I'm not a hundred percent sure but it sure felt like it and he hurt my jaw not by punching it but just by taking it roughly and it scared me senseless."

Melissa's soft eyes grew big at the very long sentence that was let out in one breath. But it wasn't because of how it was said, though that was impressive. It was the words that had been said. _He actually hurt her? Of course he did it in a way that would not leave a mark the bastard! Threatened? How? All I have to say is that this Kevin and I better not meet or I think I'll let him know exactly what I think of him. Worse for him would be to meet up with my daughter._ That gave her a warm fuzzy feeling inside. "Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry! That must have been awful."

The nurse felt fresh tears threatening to form but she refused to let them fall for two reasons. First she was in public and she would be damned if she'd let anyone else see her cry. Melissa was different and yet she still hated having the woman seeing her like she had. Secondly she was damned if she was going to let that pig bastard husband of hers get to her to the point that she cried. "It was. I've never felt like that before. I never want to feel like that again. But…"

"But you are terrified he will hurt you if you go through with the divorce." Abby nodded her head seeming to get lost in her thoughts. Melissa waited for the younger woman to focus once again on the here and now before she continued. "I'm not an expert on this kind of situation. While I've seen similar from a distance I never had to deal with what you are dealing with. I don't know what I would do or if someone I cared about would do. I know you don't want to involve the police but my daughter…"

Abby thought she saw some motion behind her and a gray hooded man went toward the exit of the restaurant. She pushed that aside and decided to go ahead and spill everything to the older woman. It was still a wonder, though, why she felt she could completely trust this woman. "You see, there's a little more to the story. And it complicates things if I were to involve your daughter. I mean I can't involve her while she's a patient and all but…"

Melissa could see that the younger woman truly was struggling with what she wanted to say. Perhaps they had enough sharing as it was getting late and she figured that the nurse had to work in the morning. Hating to cut off the woman as she seemed to want to open up more she thought just maybe she could give her a way out. "If you are talking about going to the police about Kevin I'm sure that you could deal with someone that Sam trusts."

That got a sad smile on the nurse's face. _If it were only about me going to the police than I could do it in a heartbeat, well, at least it wouldn't be as complicated. No my new friend that is not what is making this whole thing complicated._ "I'm sure that's true." She, as seemed to be her habit when trying to get the courage up to say something, took a long swallow of her water. "The fact is…" She glanced around to make sure that their attentive waitress would not interrupt. Leaning just a little closer she said, "I think part of the reason I was never happy with Kevin is that, um, I'm gay."

So many thoughts erupted into Melissa's mind it was almost literally mind blowing. The banter that was going on between the two younger women now took on a whole new meaning. She had known that at least partially for her daughter that the jovial words had been flirting. Never really would she have thought that they both were flirting. Or had the nurse realized she had been? Abby's face was a tad red as she watched the older woman process what she just said. "That's, um, interesting." She leaned a little closer to the nurse. "You do know that my daughter is gay, right?"

Abby's face went from a nice rosy pink shade to as red as a fire engine. "I had, um, hoped?" _What in the hell am I doing? What in the hell am I saying? Just a few days ago I was confiding in Emily that I think I'm attracted to women and was having the dreams once again. But I never really said to myself or Emily that 'yep, you're gay'._ The nurse inhaled deeply trying to calm her nerves and emotions. "But right now I can't tell her that I'm attracted to her. For one, she's my patient. Two, and more importantly, I don't want her in any more danger than she is in. Even with her being a police officer I'm sure Kevin would…"

Melissa's first instinct was to give the younger woman a hug but since they were both still sitting she reached out and took the nurse's hand in her own. After giving it a gentle squeeze she waited for Abby to look her in the eye. "Sam can take care of herself." The innkeeper felt an objection coming on. "What happened to my daughter is something bigger. No she hasn't told me anything but I can just tell by her actions and the fact that I have a police escort this is something neither you nor I can understand. But I can tell you this much. If you two ever become more than friends she will protect you with every fiber of her being." She took a breath and remembered her daughter's past romances, if you can call them that. "Though I should warn you that she has never been known for long term relationships."

It was a lot for the nurse to absorb all at one time. _Police escort? I didn't see anyone. And I know that Sam would protect me but if she's not into a serious relationship do I want to open myself up to her? Damn! Why does life have to be so complicated? Why can't it just be two people wandering around enjoying one another's company. Why does everyone have to get involved?_ "Well, that's a lot to take in, Melissa. I'm going to have a lot to think about for quite a while."

The timing was perfect as the waitress brought over two checks. She had not even asked if they were together or separate and before the nurse could react the innkeeper had both in her hand. Melissa quickly gave the waitress her credit card and took out some small bills and left a tip. At the nurse's raised eyebrows the older woman shrugged her shoulders. "I'm older and I have a lot less stress in my life. The biggest worry I have is my daughter and I know she has almost the entire police force behind her and an excellent nurse taking extraordinary care of her. Plus, her enemies might not know it but she has some powerful allies. I can't say more though."

Abby shook her head right then and there realizing that if she ever got romantically involved with the detective her life would never be the same again. In some ways that was scary as the woman's life would always be in some danger. In some ways it would be amazing as the nurse only had a sister while growing up and they had never been close. It hadn't shocked her that as soon as her sister graduated high school she had run off to California to become a movie star. All she had ended up was pregnant and alone and too stubborn and too scared to come home. With the detective she would get a real family.

The women waited for the waitress to return and Melissa to sign for the wonderful dinner they had just finished eating. Of course the conversation had been what was more than welcome for the nurse. Though there were still a lot of questions running through her mind and the fear of her husband was great she at least knew she had two people that were behind her. Of course that really meant three as Emily would defend her no matter what the cost.

As they walked silently back to her red little car that thought echoed in her mind. It seemed the friends that she did have always wanted to protect and take care of her. While in a way it was charming it was also frustrating thinking that everyone felt the need to protect her. Of course now that her relationship with Kevin had gone so far south she could understand more why they thought so. _Guess that's what happens when you have people that care for you. Deal with it Jones._

Carefully the nurse pulled out of the parking garage oblivious to the dark SUV that had pulled out behind her. The nurse was too busy watching the traffic which was thick as molasses at the North Pole at this time of day. The light just ahead changed to red and she easily came to a stop. All of a sudden there were police cars literally everywhere. There was one blocking her path. When she looked in the rear view mirror a dark SUV had stopped within inches of hitting her car.

Abby's first instinct was to get out of the car just to see what the moron was thinking. But a voice from the police car in front of her rang out. "Please ladies, stay in the car until we tell you to get out." The two women looked at each other. In reaction both women put their hands where the police officer could see them. "You, in the SUV. Put your hands on the steering wheel and stay where you are." After a few moments the voice repeated the command.

Finally there was a flurry of activity as several police officers in uniform, guns drawn, opened the door to the large vehicle. A tall man in a gray hooded sweatshirt and sunglasses was being forced against the side of the SUV. All this Abby was watching with a great deal of interest as the man looked a little familiar and definitely like the one that had been in the restaurant. The man was cuffed and then the hood and glasses were removed. "Kevin!" The nurse gasped causing her passenger to turn around to see who she was talking about.

A plain clothes police officer came up from behind the two ladies to the driver side door. He made the motion for her to roll down her window and the nurse complied. "Ladies." The man held out a badge for both women to inspect. "I'm part of the protection detail that your daughter asked us to provide." Melissa nodded in appreciation especially seeing that her young friend was not as safe as either of them thought. "Would either of you know who the man is that just tried to run you down?"

Abby swallowed. Though she was not thrilled with the man he was still her husband. A small tiny part of her wanted to protect him. And yet this was part of the reason that she wanted to leave him and it would in the end help her case against him should the divorce get messy. "I'm afraid he's my soon to be ex-husband. He just got served with the papers today." She felt a hand on her arm and it gave her strength to continue. "He got verbally abusive and threatened me just a few hours ago."

"I see." The officer was writing in a notepad. "I'm not going to make you come down to the station tonight seeing how late it is and seeing that this is more a domestic issue than the one that we were informed about. But you'll need to see someone from the SVU as soon as you can. The sooner you file a complaint against him the sooner you can get a restraining order or an order of protection against him. Here's the number to the captain of the SVU. He's good friends with detective Walker."

Abby took the card and gave him her contact information. She watched as the plain clothes officer signaled to the patrol car that had been blocking their path. There was an officer directing traffic and he allowed them to get on their way. "Well that was certainly unexpected." The nurse was a little shaken by the whole incident. While she still had a lot to think about one thing had practically been forced out of her hands by her own husband. He had dug his own grave. It was time she burry him in it.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Detective Steven Waters was staring at the phone he had just hung up. It wasn't possible he kept telling himself. It simply wasn't possible. Never was anything cleared up that easily especially when whoever had framed him had done a really good job of it. But the person had screwed up and hadn't realized that there was security camera in the alley way. While it was impossible because of the poor quality of the video tape to see who it was that had taken the gun it was lucky for the detective good enough quality to see an object being removed from the hand of his unfortunate victim.

The captain had called to let him know that effective in the morning he was being reinstated. All he had to do was come in first thing in the morning to get his badge and his gun and he would be free to do what he did best. The first thing the man was going to do was to see his partner in the hospital. She was starting her second week there and he had only seen her a couple of times. Though he knew it was stupid he had wanted to keep away from her while he was investigated. Once the rat squad got a hold of you it wasn't long until your partner and then whole department were sucked in.

It was what they all did for each other when they came under investigation whether the investigation was warranted or not. He had felt something was funny when the guy he had been questioning had decided to run. The questions he had been asking were basic and there was no reason really for the man to run. It was like he had wanted to be chased into that alley. With everything going on with his partner he should have been more careful. He should have known better. He should have…

Steve stopped berating himself long enough to pick the phone back up. He took out his notepad and dialed a number and then a room number. Though it was past visiting hours he could still call and tell his partner the good news. After just two rings a familiar husky voice rang in his ears. "Walker! How ya doin'?" He listened as one word was uttered 'lousy'. "Figured and that's just because you're stuck in bed. Alone. Anyways got some news. I just got the call from the captain and I'm reinstated. I'll swing by sometime tomorrow once I get caught back up on things. Sleep tight my friend."

The detective hung up the phone and smiled just a little. His partner had sounded good if not a little antsy but that was to be expected. In the time that he had known her she had seemed to always have this relentless energy. She was always on the move. It was enough to make one dizzy. But it also helped make her a damned good detective and he considered himself lucky to have been partnered with her unlike the last jerk that she'd had as a partner.

A knock at the door startled him. It was almost nine at night and he could not fathom who would be visiting his small three bedroom little house. Out of instinct he took out his spare revolver that he kept locked in his desk drawer before going to the door. His wife and kids were busy getting themselves ready for bed so it was just him in the lower level of the house. He looked out the peephole but saw no one. The door was slowly eased open and still there was no sign of anyone.

The clanging of the metal fence's gate told him that was not true but all he could see with the street lamps scarce lighting was a shadow of a figure running away. The detective had just barely stepped onto the porch and was going to simply slide back inside and close the door when something caught his attention. There was a Polaroid picture of his wife and his two kids at the park just down the street. The caption under the picture said, 'jewels such as these ought to be better protected'.

Steve cursed under his breath several times and in a couple languages. Quickly he went into the kitchen and got himself a plastic baggy. He carefully removed the picture and locked it along with his gun in the desk drawer. Though the situation was getting more dangerous by the second his wife hated the gun in the bedroom. Besides they had made their threat and kept their distance. He just wondered who else was going to get caught up in this whole mess and what was behind it.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Abby was exhausted the next evening. After she had dropped off Melissa at Sam's apartment the previous night, getting excited that she now knew where the detective lived, she had taken the opportunity to finish packing what little she and Emily had left when they had moved her into her best friend's apartment. She had worked her usual shift at the hospital but she had avoided the detective's room allowing her 'partner' nurse to check on her favorite patient.

It was not that she was avoiding the other woman. It was that she wanted to maintain their professional relationship and in fact was now headed back to the hospital as a visitor. _So much for maintaining a professional relationship._ She had spent two hours giving her statement to the police about her husband. Unluckily he had been released after spending the night in jail. That was sure to piss off her soon to be ex. The only reason she cared at this point was that everything that happened that made him look bad would make him want to get back at her. Now that terrified the young woman.

Before heading back to the hospital she had gone home and showered and changed clothes. For some reason she had found the tightest fitting black jeans she owned to go along with a very nice long sleeve black v neck sweater. Though the nurse was far from vane even she had to admit that this outfit truly made her look good. Had she intended to wear something that was so obviously made to compliment her petite well curved body? Perhaps.

Abby made her way up to the floor that she had left not that long ago. It was coming on to dinnertime. Already she had stopped and gotten a bite to eat and just wanted some company. Melissa, she was sure, was still visiting her daughter and that was all right with the nurse. The older woman was now considered a very good friend. The nurse stood in front of the door waiting for the police officers to make sure it was all right if she could visit. They were the second shift officers and hadn't seen her only a handful of times plus she was sure she looked different without her nurse's uniform on.

The one police officer opened the door and held it so that she could go in. Melissa was nowhere to be seen and that, the nurse thought, meant she was probably getting something to eat. The most amazing blue eyes followed her as she made her way to the chair next to the bed and sat down. Unbeknownst to the nurse, Sam's mother had related most of what she had been told. At first she had hated to break the confidence but thought her daughter should know especially if somehow the relationship between the nurse and detective turned to more than just friends.

As a detective, Sam was used to having a very good poker face. There were times when she would have to lie to a suspect to get them to tell her what she wanted to know. There were times when she would have to hide the truth and not say anything at all. Then there were the times when she had to act like she liked something depraved. Those were the times that gave her the most difficulty. Looking into green eyes this was going to rank right up there. All she wanted to do was be truthful to the woman sitting across from her so that never again was the blond woman hurt.

Somehow though looking into those blue eyes Abby just knew that Sam already knew everything. It upset her but only a little. She knew that Melissa was worried about both the nurse and of course her daughter so it made sense that she would tell her daughter at least some if not all that they had discussed the night prior. In a way it made it easier to talk to the tall drink of cool water lying in the bed in front of her. "Your mother is incorrigible."

Sam was taken aback at the statement. She had thought she had done her usual 'detective thing' and had not shown anything. But then she looked into those green eyes and she saw. She saw right into the very soul of the woman that seemed so sweet and innocent and yet at the same time she was a real fighter and a passionate person. All this could be seen by the detective and not by her usual tricks. It was just because there was this connection and she knew it. "Sorry."

Abby leaned in a little closer and took the detective's hand in her own. "I'm not." Suddenly both their mouths got dry and once again they seemed to be transported to this world that was just the two of them. The white walls of the hospital room were gone. All the machines beeping and the faint sounds of people out in the hallways faded away. As long as they were touching and looking into one another's eyes it was like this. It seemed like it had been like this since the beginning of time. "Except that I wish I'd been able to be the one to tell you everything."

The detective drank in the woman like she would drink in a tall glass of lemonade. She savored the bitter sweetness of the flavor and it brought a smile upon her face. _Now get a grip, Walker. She is your nurse first, friend second and whatever may come may come. Right now you have to be there for her as a friend._ "It's all right. I think our, er, relationship is a bit complicated right now. I'm a detective and your husband just got arrested. You are my nurse so that really is a complication. But I'll stick by you no matter what now that we are at the very least friends."

The nurse, without even realizing it, started to rub her thumb against the back of the tall dark and delicious woman lying in front of her. "Can I ask you something?" Sam swallowed and after just a moment of hesitation she nodded her head. The rubbing kept up and the eye contact never wavered. Neither woman heard the door open and quickly shut with no one actually entering the room. Instead a woman older than the two watched and tried to listen with a great deal of interest. "Have you always known?"

That was the last question that Sam had ever thought the blond woman would ask her. There were so many other things that they were going through like her being a target from someone. Like the nurse in possible physical danger from her husband. A tentative friendship that could soon lead to something more for the both of them and this was the question that her friend asked her? It made the detective laugh for a few moments. "Sorry. It's just I've been asked that question on more than one occasion plus it's not what I expected you to ask. For me the answer is yes. I knew from around the time I was eleven."

Abby took this in. Both the fact that her friend had known at such an early age and the fact that there were other questions that she was expected to ask. Now she only had to come up with those questions. That was not easy for the nurse. Her life with Kevin had made her close off from people but not totally. It was just that she would rather let other people ask the questions and make the first moves sorta speak. "Wow! That was early on. I don't know if your mother told you but I'm just coming to terms with it now although…"

The way that the nurse trailed off piqued the interest of the detective. Also the feelings that were pulsating through her body as the petite blond was still massaging the back of her hand with her thumb was distracting her just a bit. Oh who was she kidding! It was distracting her a lot! "Look, you don't have to ever tell me anything about yourself that you don't feel comfortable telling me. I'm an open book but that's just because partly it's how I was raised and partly it's who I am. I'm not ashamed of anything. And if I am well I was the one stupid enough to do it so suffer the consequences."

Sam was definitely a refreshing kind of person for Abby's tastes. Most people had hidden agendas and definitely everyone had something about themselves to hide. The nurse was no different in wanting to hide certain parts of her life and her past. Emily, up until now, had been the only person that she had been totally honest with about herself. It was scary to open up to the woman lying in bed across from her. "Does that mean including one night stands?" _Jones you cruel unthinking person. How could you ask her something like that?_

To the nurse's surprise the detective never flinched. Their eyes kept locked and she never pulled away from the hand still clasping her own. In fact there was a twinkling in the blue eyes that held her green ones in a tight embrace. Sam had a half grin on her face. "I see mother has been telling you things about me as well. That's because she loves me and cares a great deal for you. It's true I've never had a relationship that has lasted more than a couple weeks. And yes it got me into trouble. That's how I ended up here in New York. I ended up with a stalker."

Again Abby was astounded at the open honesty that was being shared between the two women. The communication between her husband and herself had never even come close to this. Hell her communication with Emily was better than with her husband. "Well that must have been scary even for a police officer. Or if not scary a little disconcerting." The detective simple shrugged her shoulders. She swallowed hard and screwed up her courage to ask the real question that she had been wanting to ask. "I have to know something, Sam. I have to know if you are capable of more than just a one night stand."

Right then and there Samantha Walker fell head over heels in love with the petite blond. Of course she was not sure that she hadn't fallen in love with her in that groggy state that she just barely remembered a couple weeks ago when she had been wheeled into the emergency room and there was this amazing blond woman who had taken her breath away. There had been so much pain but when she looked into those green eyes the pain had seemed to go away. It had been difficult to concentrate and to answer even the basic of questions. Her mind had been too focused on the blond nurse that was captivating beyond words.

Why was it those words that could be taken as an insult made the detective realize what she had already known? Because it too meant that Abby was having some kind of strong feelings for her and not just the physical kind either. The tone in her voice had told her that the nurse was vulnerable which of course she already knew. Not knowing how long her friend had been married it still was quite an ordeal to get a divorce and especially if there was any kind of abuse taking place.

The woman needed reassurance that the detective was able to provide something stable for her once all the dust was settled from their complicated lives. While Sam had been considering her lifestyle just before she had gotten injured, had she decided whether she was capable of making changes? Hating to close her eyes blocking off the intensity of their connection she had to as she looked deep inside herself for the answer to that simple and yet complicated question.

When she opened her eyes once again Abby had looked away and there was a tear in her eye. Her hand felt a coolness at the loss of contact from the other woman. Sam tried to move to bring the hand back but the nurse had slid too far away. Had she waited too long to answer her was that why she was turning away? "Abby." Sam's voice was at the same time stern and gentle. "Please look at me." It took a few moments before the slightly younger woman could bring herself to do as she had been asked. "I'm sorry it took a little bit for me to answer but I wanted to make sure it was the honest one so that neither of us gets hurt."

Just then there was a knock on the door. Sam could see her partner standing outside. She held up a hand in a signal for just a moment of time. She turned her attention back to the petite blond that was now leaning a little closer once again. Still they were not touching but that was all right with the detective. It would all come in time. All she had to do was answer her friend honestly and then they could start their lives, she hoped, together. "I don't know if I'd been ready if it were anyone but you."


	7. Chapter 7

Two days had gone by since Abby and Sam had their talk about relationships and the possibilities that were there between them. It really had been a brief conversation but it was enough to give both women hope that when all was said and done they could try and make something work out. While Abby still turned most of her duties with the detective over to her 'partner' nurse she would a couple times a day come in and check on her.

Her evenings had been spent at least for an hour or so with the tall woman. Sometimes they never spoke just would watch something on the television or simply looking into one another's eyes. It was unlike anything either of the two women had experienced as far as being with someone else. You could just sit there and say nothing and it spoke volumes. Words were sometimes between the two already just icing on the cake when it came to communicating with one another.

This evening was going to be no exception. Abby had seen her 'patient' only twice that day. Partly it was because she wanted to try and keep her distance while she was on the clock. Already some of the evening nurses were talking about her spending the past two nights with the tall dark and deadly woman that was quickly stealing her heart. Though she had friends on the administration board even she knew that if she crossed that line it would be the end of her job.

Part of her really didn't care about that only that if that was the reason she lost her job it might be difficult to get another one even in the vastness that was New York City. Still she knew she had to keep it professional on the job and when she was on her own time they could stick it where the sun didn't shine. That was a new feeling for the nurse. Usually she was more reserved than most people but ever since she'd met Sam there was this confidence in herself that was constantly growing.

The nurse had just texted Emily not wanting to wake her up. The poor thing was stuck on the night shift in the emergency room. While her friend claimed not to need a whole lot of sleep she still hated to intrude. Abby wanted to meet with her friend and have a real talk about her new relationship with the detective and see what her best friend thought. Besides it had been days since they had really gotten to see one another and they were living together at the moment.

It took only a few minutes for the other nurse to respond. She'd be at the apartment waiting. Of course she was going to order Chinese. That was one thing that the two blond women had in common. Somehow they both could eat and never gained an ounce. Neither of them had ever had a problem with weight so it just seemed to be something that was a part of them. It was cool to be able to 'pig out' every once and a while and have a girl's night.

That was not exactly what Abby was looking for at the moment. Right now she wanted to gauge her friend and see truly how she felt about this budding romance. While she had told Emily about her being attracted to women she had never finished the whole story. She had never finished the whole story to Sam either and that was something that she was going to have to fix. But not today as today was about two best friends that hadn't seen each other in quite a while.

Abby made her way to the familiar door and the two officers standing guard. They no longer even questioned her just allowed her to walk right in. Melissa was dozing in the chair and Sam had her eyes closed. The nurse made her way in and closed the door behind her quietly. She watched the mother/daughter duo for a moment before she turned to go. A husky voice called out quietly. "Hey." The petite blond made her way over to the bed and sat on the edge. "So going to leave without even saying goodbye. I'm hurt."

There was a playful childlike look about the detective's face. It was half pout and half smile so it really did lose any kind of intended effect. The nurse picked up the hand closest to her and gave it a squeeze before she tentatively brought it to her lips for a quick kiss. Sam shift noticeably on the bed and that made the nurse smile almost as much as the attempted pouty look. "I just didn't want to wake you or your mother. You both looked peaceful. But now that you're awake I'll say goodbye at least for a couple hours."

Now the look on Sam's face was an all-out pout. This was not that kid like one that she had a moment before and Abby came so close to changing her mind. But before her resolve totally melted away she felt a squeeze of her hand. "I understand. You said you were going to spend some time with Emily. She needs to know what all Kevin has been up to." Their eyes met for a moment. Every time that their eyes met like that at least for a minute or two they were transported somewhere else and it was just the two of them. _If only it could be like this all the time._ The detective sighed at the thought.

Abby could understand completely the look of yearning on the slightly older woman's face. To be able to be alone and not have to worry about a soon to be ex-husband stalking them or fear for their lives because of whatever it was that Sam's work had gotten her into would be very nice for a change. But since they still had both to worry about that would have to wait until they were both free and safe. "Before I go I wanted to ask you something really quick. Perhaps once my divorce is settled and whatever you are going through is settled, can we stay at your mother's inn for a bit? Even if it's just for the weekend I'd love it."

Sam was half terrified and half thrilled with the idea of being alone even for the weekend with Abby. While her mother's inn would not be the first choice if only because there were a lot of things that the nurse could find out in her hometown that she first had to explain to her still the thought of them being together like that was extremely appealing. "I'd like that very much. Mother will spoil us both you know. She loves spoiling her family."

The last word had escaped from the detective's mouth before she could even truly think about what she was saying. It was true in a way that Abby had become an extended member of their family regardless if a relationship ever fully developed between the two women. There was something about the nurse that had captured not only the detective's heart but also the innkeeper's. It went without saying that these three women would be forever linked in one way or another.

The nurse heard the last word but decided not to dwell on it though it did give her stomach little flips as it felt amazing to be considered part of a family. The last time that she had spoken to either of her parents was at the dinner party for her first anniversary. They hadn't liked Kevin and they hadn't liked the fact that she had never done what they had wished so that was the end of things for them. She could only imagine what they would think when they found out she was with a woman. "That gives me something to look forward to. I gotta go. Emily is waiting for our little chat and the Chinese is probably getting cold."

"Oh sure. I'm stuck in here having whatever it is that your hospital calls food and you tease me with Chinese." Sam shook her head in disgust. "So much for your bedside manner, Ms. Jones." She crossed her arms over her chest and gave her a mock grumpy look. But there was a twinkle in the blue eyes that gave it away and after a few minutes even she could not keep a straight face. "G'wan with ya! I'll see later I hope."

"Oh you will." Abby had been whispering the whole time hoping not to wake up the sleeping innkeeper. "Maybe if I get a good report on your behavior I'll smuggle in something you shouldn't have." The nurse winked at the smile the little tease had provoked. "Now if I don't get my bum moving I'll lose all willpower and sit here talking with you all night. Trust me part of me wants nothing more than to do that." Without even thinking about she leaned down and kissed the detective on the cheek. "See you in a couple hours."

Sam was a little stunned as she watched the nurse walk out of the room. It was a walk that she had come to know by heart now. She had a slight little roll to her hips and it did something on a physical level that few if any women had ever done to the detective. Absently she reached up and touched the spot where Abby had kissed her cheek almost too stunned to even think. Finally she muttered under her breath, "Our first kiss. Hmm."

Melissa's voice rang out in the room. "If that was your first kiss I'm disappointed. I thought you'd be a little more passionate." Stunned blue eyes looked over at her mother. The detective could have sworn that the older woman had been asleep. "I think you two should try again." The innkeeper stood and stretched. "Ow." She stretched again trying to get her back into alignment. "That'll teach me for taking a nap in those hospital chairs. Not comfortable at all."

"That'll teach you to eavesdrop on other people's private conversations." Sam knew that she really had no reason to be irritated with her mother and truthfully wasn't. This was the first time she'd had any kind of relationship that she not only hoped her mother approved of but would also be as happy as she was about it. It would be the glaze on the jelly doughnut if her mother gave her blessing. But she knew that there were a couple reasons that her mother was not going to approve. At least not until the tall dark haired woman finally came clean about two important things in her life.

"It's not like you two were locked in your bedroom in your apartment." Melissa saw the blush creep over her daughter's face which surprised the innkeeper. Of all the things her daughter was, shy about her sexual conquests, even to her mother, was not one of them. The blushing was just yet another indicator of just how fast and how hard the detective had fallen for the nurse. "Now if you had been in your bedroom of your apartment with the door locked and I had my ear stuck to the door then you'd have something to complain about."

"Mother!" Sam chuckled to herself. Most people's parents were not comfortable when talking about relationships of their children especially when it came to the thought of them having sex. But not her mother oh no. Her mother was not ashamed of anything. They had always had an open and honest relationship when it came to everything. That was why when she had to tell her mother that she was pregnant ten years ago it was difficult but also had been easy.

"Oh please." Sam watched as her mother made her way to the bathroom. The older woman splashed some cold water on her face and dried it off with some paper towels. "You've been having sex since you were fifteen." That got another reddening of the detective's face. "Yes, I knew about you and Leslie. It's a shame what happened when you two started up again." Her mother went pensive for a moment. The detective knew that it had scared her mother when her former girlfriend had decided to become her stalker. They had all suffered because of it.

"I'm sorry about that." Sam really didn't know what else to say. She had never meant for Leslie to get hurt. It had started off as an experiment for the foreign exchange student. There had been some deep emotional ties that came out of it and when she had to go back to China it had been hard on both women. That was what had started her on the horrible road of, not one night stands but instead short term relationships.

"It wasn't your fault." Melissa had heard some of the conversations that she had with the stalker. She had tried from the beginning to tell her that it had been too many years to just go back to the way it was in high school. It had been a serious teenage crush for the detective. But now she was an adult and things were different for her. "She just wasn't ready to hear 'no' for an answer. Sometimes that happens with people no matter what we say and do. Just sorry it chased you all the way here."

"Me too with one exception." Sam's blue eyes got that twinkle in them. Melissa had started to notice the twinkle in her daughter's eyes a lot lately and it was usually whenever the nurse was around or whenever she was the subject of their discussions. This was the same thing as the innkeeper knew exactly what her daughter was thinking. "It's funny, Mom, but if things hadn't gone so badly with Leslie I never would have moved here. If I'd never moved here I never would have met Abby. I never would have thought that I could have or want a relationship that was forever." Sam had to shake her head roughly. _Did I just really say I wanted to be with Abby forever? When did I do a one eighty on relationships?_

Melissa had been going to sit down in the chair that she had been sleeping in when her daughter spoke. The last sentence made her freeze in mid motion. Finally she allowed herself to fall all the way into the chair. "You know I wanted to get right back up and check for a temperature but I'm sure they just did that not too long ago." Sam rolled her eyes at her mother. "I'm sorry but I never thought I'd hear those words come out of your mouth. You couldn't even commit to your own son."

The innkeeper regretted the words that she had spoken even before she had finished speaking. The wounded look on her daughter's face was too much for the innkeeper. She stood quickly and sat on the edge of the bed. Sam refused to look at her mother. When Melissa took her hand she pulled it away roughly. The beating of the heart monitor quickly picked up as did the latest reading of her blood pressure. _Dumb Melissa. Really dumb. You know she feels guilty about that and well it is a painful memory for her._

"I'm sorry." The words were inadequate she knew but it was all that she could manage. The dark haired woman with streaks of gray began to cry. Her tears were because she felt so guilty about what she had just said. Her tears were because she knew that it was going to bring up painful reminders of a day that the detective would rather never remember. While the detective loved her son giving him to her younger brother to raise had been the best thing. She could still be in his life but at a distance.

Sam took a few deep breaths trying to calm herself. _Every time that I think I have my feelings on this particular subject straightened out something like this comes along. I know that I'll never be over what happened. But still it's been ten years and it still hurts as much as it did back then._ "I know you are. I'm sorry too that I've never been able to be more than a distant aunt to my own son. Watching him grow up into a fine young man has not been easy for me. Part of me wants to tell him and part of me wants to never see him again. How is that for serious issues. And I've got to tell Abby this and about Leslie."

There was a fear that Melissa could never remember seeing in her daughter's eyes before. Instantly she knew it was the fear of losing the woman she loved. The innkeeper wasn't going to fool herself anymore about just how deep her daughter's feelings ran for the nurse. Though she didn't know the nurse as well as her daughter she was certain that the feelings were as equal if not more. "I think she loves you, Sam. Love is more than enough to forgive and give support and whatever else the other person needs. You just have to have faith in that. Faith in yourself and faith in Abby."

The tall dark haired woman closed her eyes and let a solitary tear fall down her cheek. Her mother was right as she usually was. It was just that this 'being in love' thing was so far out of bounds for the detective it was hard to get used to trusting it. Her trust had only been given one time and Leslie had walked all over it and then some. But Abby was different than that. Of that she had no doubt. _Just gotta keep believing in her and in us and everything will be all right._

()()()()()()()()()

Abby had made good time getting across town to the apartment that she shared with Emily. It was funny but she kept checking in the rearview mirror to see if someone was following her like Sam had told her to do. That was actually pointless as she had no clue as to how to spot if someone were following her or not but it had made her feel a little better. She pulled into the secured underground parking waving at the guard that was on duty. How Emily afforded a place like this was beyond the nurse but was grateful for it after what had happened with Kevin.

She locked her car doors and put her keys in her small purse and made her way to the elevator. It wasn't long until she was up on the tenth floor unlocking the door to apartment 10C. The smell of the Chinese food hit her instantly and made her stomach grumble a little. Instead of eating on her lunch break she had spent most of it visiting with Sam. It was a naughty thing to do but she could not help herself. There were a lot of things about the detective that were causing her willpower to go right out the door.

The kiss was definitely something that wasn't the smartest thing. It was just a peck on the cheek but it was still a lot more intimate than simply holding hands like they had done up until this point. Frankly the nurse's aim had been for those alluring lips but something deep inside steered her away from them and to the cheek. _Next time I kiss you Miss Walker it's gonna be on the lips. And it's not going to be any simple peck on the lips either. It's going to be so full of passion and…_

Abby had stopped in mid motion of hanging up her light jacket and was just standing there with a dazed far off look upon her face. Soon the look on her face was that of distinct passion and Emily chose that exact moment to enter the room. For a moment the tall blond stood watching her friend. Never before had she seen her best friend look anywhere near like that. It was easy to see that she was happy and content and definitely more. The nurse wondered what her friend had been up to the past few days.

"That's an interesting look on your face." Abby nearly jumped out of her skin upon hearing her best friend's voice. The petite blond missed the hook and had to bend down and pick up her jacket and try again. Emily started to laugh as she watched her friend fumbling haplessly with the simple task of hanging up her coat. Finally she walked over and took the jacket out of the fumbling hands and said, "Allow me to help out the flustered woman."

Abby glared at her for a moment before she smiled. It wasn't her friends fault that she had been caught in one of the more intense daydreams she had ever experienced. It reminded her a little of the dreams she'd been having about her first sexual experience. The redhead had kept popping up in her head for the past few months but now that she thought about it ever since she had met Sam the dreams about Amanda Kingston had stopped. They had been pushed aside for dreams about a certain detective.

"Sorry. Just came from seeing a certain someone." Abby caught the look in Emily's eyes. "Yes, I was thinking about her. I think, no I know I'm always thinking about her." The petite blond made her way into the bedroom and shut the door behind her. Quickly she changed out of her nurse's outfit and into some sweat pants and sweat shirt. Though loose fitting it still showed off her excellent looking body. She then made her way into the kitchen where Emily had dinner waiting for her.

Emily waited for her best friend to portion out her food before taking some for herself. She wasn't all that hungry but knew that her friend would be. Luckily she liked leftovers and it was no big deal how much was left. What was a big deal was that her friend seemed to be so easily shifting from her horrible relationship with Kevin into one with a woman. Though she knew little about the detective she was worried that she was going from one relationship where there was a very dominating personality to another. In short, she was worried about her friend.

"So I take it you are falling fast and hard for this detective?" Abby's eyes shot up to look her best friend in the eyes. There had been something in the way that her friend had said 'this detective' that she didn't like one bit. Emily saw the look of anger flash across her normally happy go lucky friend and decided she needed to do some damage control. "I know you think you are falling for her and she does seem to make you happy but really, Abs, what do you know about this woman? She's just a patient you happened to be stuck with."

Now the gloves were ready to come off and Abby was ready to start swinging. Most people thought of the petite blond as sweet and innocent and very docile. Kevin had made her that way but when she was younger she would fight tooth and nail to protect the people that she cared about. Most that she had dealt with had been surprised by the fact that someone so small could be so strong and feisty. Feeling those emotions erupting in her and the amazing feeling it was giving her made her curse even more what her husband had done to her.

Abby took a breath to calm herself because she didn't want to ruin the relationship she had with her best friend. However she was also not going to stand by and have her bad mouth Sam. It was almost like she was trying to compare her to Kevin and there was nothing that could be farther from the truth. Through gritted teeth she managed, "While it's true that we **both** have a lot to learn about one another and some of the things might be hard to hear and unpleasant to deal with but that does not mean that I couldn't have fallen in love with her. She is not now nor has she ever been 'just a patient I was stuck with'."

Emily put her hands up in mock surrender. "Sorry, Babe. You know that I love you to pieces and only want what's best for you." She tried to reach out and take her friend's hand only to have it pulled away. "Guess I deserve that. But you just a couple weeks ago came to me and said you **think** you might be attracted to women. Then you go and start the divorce proceedings, which yay by the way. Now it sounds like you are trying to tell me that you are in love with this woman."

"This woman?" Abby was really starting to get pissed off at her friend. The thought that her friend only wanted to make sure that she didn't get hurt and that she wanted her to be happy but the way that she kept referring to the woman that she was in love with was really starting to get to her. "She has a name. It's Sam or Samantha or Detective Walker. Any of those she'll gladly answer to, well with the exception of Samantha but still…" The petite blond took in another deep breath. "She's a person first and foremost. Then she's my patient and then she's a detective."

The tall blond took a sip of the cola she had been drinking with the dinner that was now cold and unappetizing to her. All she had wanted to do was to talk to her best friend and make sure that she was going into this relationship with both eyes open. The last thing that she wanted to do was to upset her friend and she was now cursing herself for doing that exact thing. Abby had been through enough dealing with Kevin. "I got it. And I'm sorry. Why don't you tell me about her?"

Abby understood that it was a peace offering asking about the tall dark and gorgeous woman that had quickly stolen her heart. "Well, she's tall. She's beautiful." That got a chuckle out of the tall blond. "I know she's from Middletown originally. Her mother owns a bed and breakfast there and invited me to stay anytime that I want and the woman isn't going to even charge me a thing. I know that she has been in New York for only a year now. There is a reason she moved here but I haven't yet got it out of her other than she did say that she has some regrets and is living with the consequences."

Emily put her drink back down and looked deep into green eyes. What she had been told really wasn't about the detective. Oh there were bits and pieces that were associated with the detective but nothing really about the detective. What about kids? While she was a lesbian there were those that had kids before realizing they were gay or those that chose to have kids on their own. Was she willing to be in a committed relationship? Had she ever been anything but a player?

"I don't want to make you mad at me again but it really doesn't sound like you know that much about her." Emily made sure she quickly spoke as she could see tiny little flames smoldering in her friend's green eyes. "And yet it seems like you feel like you've known her forever." That got the flames back just to embers so the nurse decided to press her luck at patching things up. "I do believe in love at first sight you know. It wouldn't be the worst thing to fall in love and then get to know a person. Just a little backwards to how most people do it that's all."

Now Abby smiled at a thought that her mother had said to her a long time ago. It was before she had told her that she wanted to be a nurse and to help people. It was before they had even discussed what she would do after high school. "Well I could tell you what my mother always told me." She got a quirky look upon her face. "She always told me that I wasn't a normal person. She told me that I did things backwards or oddly or whatever. At the time I was too scared to say anything back to my mother but now I would say 'thank you for the compliment'. So I'll say that to you. Thanks for the compliment."

That got the tension relieved in the room and both women were laughing. They finished their now cold dinner in relative silence. The buzzer alerting them that the front desk wanted to talk to one of them startled them. Emily picked up the phone by the door. "This is Emily Dunst." For a moment she just listened intently her facial expression getting darker by the second. "We'll be right down. And yes I'd appreciate you doing that for me." She hung up the phone and took a deep breath. "Someone smashed your windshield in."

"What?" Abby quickly got the keys for both the apartment and her car from her purse and put on her light jacket. They would be going to the underground parking garage and it was not heated even in winter. They waited impatiently for the elevator door to open and then the long descent that seemed to take forever. Finally the doors to the elevator opened and they quickly found one of the security guards by her little red car. There was glass all over the place. "Do you have any idea how this could happen?"

The security guard was an older man and if the nurse remembered correctly he was a retired police officer. The man had been surveying the damage when her voice rang out. He turned to see the two blond nurses looking at him anxiously. "Well ma'am from what I can gather someone somehow hacked into the computer system here and got a parking pass." He indicated the one that could barely be seen through the smashed glass. "They were just waved in here and then this happened. We do have video footage but I'm sure that the person wore some kind of dark clothing and a hood."

That sent pangs in the petite blond's heart. It sounded exactly like what Kevin would do and was capable of. Her heart sank for a moment for two reasons. If it were Kevin she was in danger here and more importantly so was her best friend. Secondly it made her wonder if there was anywhere that she would be safe. If he could get through the pretty high tech security of her friend's apartment building then he could get through anywhere.

()()()()()()()()()()()

Kevin paced back and forth. He was wearing black jeans, black hoodie and black sunglasses. _She got me in trouble with the law. It's her fault all of this is happening. I'm losing everything because of her. Just today I lost my concentration and had to be corrected during surgery. That never happens to me. I'm the best that there is. That bitch of a wife of mine is doing this all to me. It's all her fault. I should…_ He trailed off at the thought wondering just how far he would really go to punish his wife for her crimes against him.

The sound of a car caused him to stop pacing. A black sports car pulled into the alleyway and came to a halt. The engine was turned off and a man that looked like he was well to do made his way out of the car. He was dressed almost the same that Kevin was. It was hard to even see his face he had his hoodie tied so tightly. The man walked right up and stood in front of the doctor's face. "It's done. Just the windshield like you asked for."

The doctor pulled out an envelope and handed it to the man who started to count the bills inside. "It's all there. I don't stiff when it comes to paying for things. That's why I hired you. You came highly recommended by a friend." Though not seen through the dark sunglasses their eyes met in a knowing look. Both of them were under the fingertips of a certain person but neither of them could possibly even think to say it out loud.

"You were highly recommended as well." The man put the envelope inside his hoodie front shirt pocket. He watched the taller darker man for a moment before he continued. "You know this is not going to be the end of it. It'll take a lot more than a smashed windshield for her to cave. You underestimate your ex-wife's strength and determination. I've found over the years that the smaller the package the greater the fighter."

"First off she's my WIFE not my ex-wife." Kevin came at the man with a balled fist but stopped short when a small pistol was revealed. "Secondly I already have thought about breaking the bitches spirit and how long and how much it's going to cost me." He backed up a couple steps to make sure that his 'friend' knew that he wasn't going to do anything stupid especially with the gun in his hand. "This may turn out to be a long term relationship between us. So get ready to have your cell phone on and be ready to do what I want you to."

The stranger put the gun back from where he had pulled it out. While he was not into violence and hated to carry the gun he knew that in his line of work that he would deal with all sorts. When it came to getting involved in a marital spat those were the most dangerous especially because the one that hired him were usually the jerks in it all and only hired him to keep their hands clean. It was a dangerous life but one that kept him in money for the lifestyle that he craved. "I'll do that. And next time…" He hesitated just a moment for emphasis. "Don't threaten me. I know people that can make you disappear."

Without another word the man went back to his car. He waved goodbye before getting in and turning on the engine. Kevin stared after the man as he pulled back out onto the main street. While he was big and burly anyone that carried a gun was always the one that was in the advantage. The good doctor hated being at a disadvantage. That meant that he had to take care of that. He couldn't go through legal channels so he'd have to call in a favor or two. Next time he'd be ready for whatever was thrown his way. After all he was the one in charge. No one else.

()()()()()()()()()()()()

Abby had changed out of her sweats and into blue jeans and a red long sleeved sweater. Her emotions were over the top. Emily had wanted her to stay at the apartment but she no longer felt safe there and feared for her friend's life. Kevin, or someone he had hired, had gotten to her. Detective Waters was looking into it personally and was looking at the tapes and would let her know if anything should come of it. Her heart had sank when he had said it like that. It meant that most likely nothing would ever come of it. Detective Waters had been listening to the police scanner and heard her name associated with the violence to her car. So as a favor to his partner he became involved.

Though visiting hours were almost over she just had to come and see Sam. If anyone could calm her down it would be the tall dark amazing woman that she loved. It seemed to take forever to get to the detective's room. Once again the police officers on duty simply waved her in. It gave her a small measure of comfort to know that they knew her that well. Melissa was brushing Sam's hair when the nurse walked in. "Oh, uh, sorry to interrupt."

The nurse turned to go but before she could get even one step she heard the older woman's voice calling her name. "Don't be silly, Abby. You are always welcome here." Slowly the nurse turned around and in an instant both women knew that something was wrong with the woman that they had both come to care a great deal about. Melissa walked over to her and took both hands in her own. She led her to the edge of the bed and forced her to sit down. "Now, tell us both what happened."

Abby looked from daughter to mother and back to daughter once again. Sam had reached out and put a comforting hand on her arm. The warmth of the fingers around her skin was so reassuring as was the strength she felt there. The nurse took a deep breath before she continued. "Well it seems that Emily's place is not as safe as I thought. There is security everywhere and cameras and still the bastard somehow got to me."

Sam sat up a little faster than she should. Her head spun for a moment but she quickly pushed that feeling back down as with the pain in her ribs and leg from that fast movement. "You tell me what happened. I don't want you to leave out any details." The detective watched as her mother put a comforting hand on the shoulder of the woman that she loved. _Damnit! I'm in the bloody hospital not able to do a damn thing when my girlfriend needs me the most._ She stiffened when she realized what she had thought hoping that Abby would just think it was her worried mind racing.

The nurse looked into blue eyes and smiled a little. While not able to know exactly what the other woman was thinking she knew it went beyond protecting her. What had made her stiffen was something else but she could not quite put her finger on it. That would be for a later discussion. Right now she had to get this off her chest. "I can't prove it's him and we may never prove it's him but someone got past security and smashed my windshield."

The detective seemed just a little relieved at the statement. While it still put Abby at danger at least it wasn't as bad as the detective had first thought. Too many years on the force made her mind go to the worst possibly conclusion. An idea suddenly popped into her head and she smiled at the thought. _Not like I'll be using it though mother will be there. One bedroom now I wish I had a two bedroom._ "Until all of this is over why don't you stay with Mom at my place. It's only one bedroom but the couch folds out. You'll be safe there. There are already officers watching out for Mom so they'll watch out for you too."

Abby was stunned. She honestly had no idea of what to say to that. Could she accept the offer and put the detective and her mom in more danger than they already were? What about the administration board? If they found out it might jeopardize her job. Of course what they were already doing, as innocent as it was could jeopardize her job. It took only a few minutes for the nurse to think things through. Before she knew it she was saying, "I really appreciate it. Can you have an officer come and help me get my things from Emily's place?"


	8. Chapter 8

It was well past midnight. Sam was sitting up in the hospital bed just staring into the grayish light that surrounded her. Rain was falling outside and every so often she could see a flash of lightning and hear a bit of thunder. It was a mid-autumn thunderstorm. It was nothing like she was used to. Thunderstorms in the medium sized town that she grew up in were different here. They were bigger and more impressive in the country as the tall buildings of the big city hid some of the fierceness of Mother Nature.

Right now she was quite homesick. All she wanted to do was go to her mother's bed and breakfast and snuggle up on one of the thick rugs that were in front of the fireplaces of each of the rooms. Of course she would not be alone. The petite blond would be wrapped in her arms and they would have just enjoyed having a picnic of chocolate covered strawberries and some champagne and of course an amazing few hours of love making.

The monitor that told her pulse rate started to beep a little in warning as her heart had begun to race at the thought of Abby in her arms. While she was no stranger to fantasies with women, none of them had ever affected her like this. While a certain part of her anatomy was on fire, it was not alone. It seemed that every single muscle in her body was on fire. It made it hard to breathe and she had to think of other thoughts just to calm herself down.

The thought that the nurse was in trouble was not helping with her heart rate. It helped to quell a little of the passionate feelings flowing through her body but it brought up another reason for her blood pressure and body to react. Abby was in trouble. From what little the blond had shared with her about her husband she had suspected that he was capable of violence and more. It was starting slowly with stalking and now had gone to the next stage which was property damage. The detective shuddered to think what the next step was.

If she had anything to say about it she would never let the doctor get to the next level. That next level would be physical violence and possibly… The detective could not even allow herself to think about the next level. While in Middletown she had seen some violence, it had not prepared her for what it was like in the big city. There were things that haunted her sleep and she had only been on the job a year now. She knew too well what exactly could happen to the nurse with a heart of gold.

That was part of the reason she was still up. Being injured she knew that sleep would be helpful in getting her body to heal. But her mind was a few miles away in a tiny one bedroom apartment that her mother was now sharing with her girlfriend Abby. Only in her mind and with her mother could she admit that they were girlfriends as she knew that both their jobs could be compromised. Worst her ability to protect the young blond would be compromised. That was something she would not let happen.

Sam sighed heavily and closed her eyes trying to block out the little bit of pain she was still in. Her bruised ribs were almost healed and they had taken the stitches out of her head wound. It was her blasted leg that was still the worst pain and yet according to the doctors healing faster than they had expected. The specialist that she had seen had said he was amazed at just how quickly her leg was healing and indeed she just might get to go home by the end of the week. She would need a lot of physical therapy and would be out of work for at least another month.

Another month of having to rely on her partner whom she had called seeing if he knew anything more on what had happened to Abby. It was, on the surface, as they had feared. The figure had rented the vehicle with a fake driver's license with a picture that looked nothing like the man that had rented the car and the rental agent had given a very generic description of the man but no explanation as to why they had allowed the rental. Personally the detective smelled bribe but that would be difficult at best to prove. The video tapes showed a man, most likely, that was wearing dark clothes and a hoody. No way to identify him that way.

Part of her wanted to keep Steve out of this. He had just had that convenient brush with internal affairs and the last thing he needed to do was to stick his neck out for her. If they could link the crime in anyway with Abby's soon to be ex then it would be all right. But for now it just was a smashed windshield. But the person who did it went to a lot of trouble to get to that particular car. Again nothing could be proven so that really left it out of the hands of the special victims unit.

Her eyes flashed opened and she growled low in her throat. A sweet voice surprised her, "Easy Tiger." It took a moment for the detective's better than average eyes to focus on the figure that was standing at the doorway. There was a fairly tall blond woman in a nurse's uniform that looked vaguely familiar but the detective could not place her. "Mind if I come in?" The detective shrugged and her eyes never left the woman that walked with deliberation toward her. "Do you remember me?"

Once again Sam's mind was flashing through faces trying to place a name to the familiar face. Being a nurse it could be something as simple seeing her around the hospital the last week and a half. If she was like Abby and worked shifts in the ER it could be that they had some kind of SVU case in common. But there was something more familiar about the woman than just those possibilities. "You were the nurse that was here when I was getting settled in the first day."

"That's partly right." The blond nurse smiled as she came and stood at the end of the bed allowing for the detective to get a better look at her. Sam tilted her head slightly trying to figure where else she could possibly know the beautiful woman from. "I'll give you a big huge clue that even a half brained detective could figure out. You I know are one of the best so this should be a snap. My name is Emily Dunst."

Sam mentally slapped her forehead. _Of course! I wish I could have seen her name tag from here then I would have known. The look on the woman's face tells me I might just be in trouble and that I'd better tread lightly here._ "So you're the infamous Emily. I guess my brain got hit harder than I thought." She smiled at the look the nurse gave her. "If I'd been at full capacity I would have put your name from my first day here in this lovely place to the famous Emily that Abby talks about very highly. Thanks, by the way, for letting her stay with you. Sorry it put you in danger."

Emily slowly made her way over to the chair next to the bed and took a seat. She leaned back enjoying being off her feet for a moment. The ER had been quite busy and she originally had just wanted to go to the cafeteria and get some coffee. Yet when she got in the elevator she found herself pushing the third floor button instead of the first floor button. Right then she knew what her mind was trying to get her to do and she cursed it softly.

After the confrontation that she had with Abby just a few hours earlier the last thing she wanted to do was to say or do something that would make her best friend mad at her once again. But there was something about the petite blond that just made you want to protect her even though truth be told she was of course more than capable of protecting herself. Still, she was just getting out of a horrible relationship and the last thing she needed was to get involved with someone that was not capable of a serious relationship.

"I figure there is more than brain damage at work." That got a raised eyebrow from the detective. The nurse wanted to see if the tall dark haired woman had a sense of humor or not so she led with that. Not getting a laugh she was wondering if this was a humorless person and if that was so she would not be good enough for her friend. "Oh I think you know what I mean." When Sam only shrugged her shoulders Emily got just a little frustrated. "You're a little preoccupied to think straight."

Now that got a full blown laugh out of the detective causing her ribs to hurt just a little bit. It was worth it when the blond woman gave her a quizzical look. Sam knew that the first comment was the one that she was supposed to laugh at. While it was funny what Emily followed up with was just too much. She let the blond nurse wonder a couple more minutes before she explained the laugh. "Just to let you know, I haven't been straight since I was eleven."

It was Emily's turn to burst out laughing. It felt good to laugh. She hadn't laughed since what had started to happen with Abby and Kevin. The past two days had been especially stressful. With it being so busy downstairs the stress had only gotten worse. She shook her head and managed to quiet the chuckles. "I really should watch how I word things." Looking the woman up and down she continued, "I think especially around you."

_So far I like your best friend, Abby. Something tells me that this isn't over though. Something tells me this is not just to see if I have a sense of humor. But nice way to ease in to whatever it is that she wants to find out about me._ "I do have a reputation." The words, unlike Emily's were intentional and she saw the ever so faint flicker in the tall blond's gaze. _Nailed that one. At least my many skills at reading people haven't totally gone down the drain in this damned place._

As if on cue the nurse leaned forward getting so bold as to put her hands on the guardrail of Sam's bed. The detective could sense that she was picking her words carefully probably not wanting something she said upsetting the taller dark haired woman especially if it were to get back to Abby. "That's one of the things I wanted to talk to you about. I don't want to get too personal or offend you but from what little I've heard about you, um, well…"

"I'm into the ladies." Sam finished the thought. "And because Abby is coming out of a bad relationship and just beginning to realize she has an attraction to women plus the fact that she and I are still learning about one another you're afraid I'll get tired of her after a couple weeks and that'll be it." Emily sat back in the chair stunned with the straightforwardness of the detective. "Well that was how I operated. I've been like that since well something happened a few years ago. I won't say more to you, though Abby knows a little, but I will to Abby in detail once this mess with her husband and whatever I'm into blows over. Just know this. I will do everything in my power to make Abby happy and will never intentionally hurt her. I will also give my life to keep her safe."

"That, I assume, means that you will not be playing the field anymore?" That got a laugh at first out of the detective. It was not the response that the nurse had expected or frankly liked. "I mean it. If you hurt her I will track you down and hurt you." That got an eyebrow raised. "Yes, I know. Big bad tough cop that is always packing heat. You don't understand what she means to me." Emily knew that she had to get back to the ER but wanted to make sure the detective knew just how serious she was first.

"Oh I hear you." Sam's voice was anything but glib as Emily had suspected it would be. In fact there was a sad tone in her voice. "I haven't had much luck in the happiness department other than my immediate family." _Even that is more complicated than I have let on._ "Once burned you kinda get a little flame shy and Abby is one hot flame." Her attempt at humor didn't go unnoticed by the nurse. "That's why when I started to feel myself opening up to the possibility that I could have feelings for your friend and then to realize I want something long term as in forever I…"

Emily stood and put her hand on the arm of the detective. There was no way that she could fake all that emotion. There was no way that she could not be serious about her friend. The interrogation was over. She had made her point and the detective had made her point in return. "Well I feel better now. I think that Abby is in very good hands." The nurse looked at her watch and cursed silently. "Well gotta go. We should do something when you are out of this prison. The three of us my friend."

Sam smiled at her. "I'd like that." Emily winked at her and quickly took off toward the door. The detective watched her go shaking her head. _Well at least I know that you have some really good friends that think a lot of you. I'm not alone in wanting to protect you and make you happy. I promise I will do what I can to make you happy._ The detective just hoped that this was one of those promises she could keep. Otherwise she would not like herself and when she didn't like herself things got ugly.

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Sierra Gregors sat in her black SUV that had dark tinted windows. She was in a parking lot in a not very nice neighborhood. Her hand was on a gun that was lying on the seat next to her. The blond woman was calm and cool and relaxed. There were no street lights here and just the faint light of the partial moon and the stars twinkling were the only faint light in the big city now that the storm had ended thankfully. For some reason she actually liked the feeling of unknown danger.

Another vehicle pulled into the parking lot flashing its headlights. Sierra returned the favor taking the gun and putting it on her lap. The blond watched intently as a brown haired man in a business suit got out of the back of a black town car. His movements were confident and were purposeful even walking the short distance to her SUV. Without hesitation the man got in the passenger seat next to her. He had the darkest eyes she had ever seen. "You called this meeting." The blond's voice was sharp. "So talk."

Elliot Munson was a known commodity in the underworld. He had a small operation that was dwarfed by that of Jenny Monroe, Sierra's other boss. His ambitions were clear. One day he wanted to take over Jenny's large cartel and would run it properly. For a moment he looked the young woman up and down appreciatively knowing that she was more than just eye candy. "Aren't we in a mood tonight." She just glared at him. "You've not been doing a good job of Jenny's bidding. While I want you to shall we say keep her not satisfied do you have to look like a complete incompetent?"

The IA officer straightened at the words and the tone of voice. She knew that with both Jenny and Elliot that she was walking a very thin line. Her crossover into the darkness had opened her eyes to a lifestyle that she so desperately wanted but could not live without doing certain things. Right now she was playing the two power hungry bosses against one another for her own agenda. "I've gotten the job done so far. Walker, Waters and their captain are not stupid and don't scare easily."

The brown haired man wanted nothing more than to strike out at the blond. But he had long ago learned to curb those desires as they were usually counterproductive to what his plan was as a whole. His plan, at least in part, was to undermine his competition slowly. The first was to set her son up on rape charges. That was easy to get a stupid girl to bed the moron and then get her to say it was rape. The problem with the plan was that it had fallen into Samantha Walker's hands.

While most detectives in the SVU are thorough, determined and intelligent there was something different about this one. Her mind worked differently than others. Her confidence wore off on the others around her so that meant that all that were involved in the case had to be kept under wraps at least until his enemy was enough off kilter that he could strike easily. While he was a patient man things were going just a little too slow for his liking.

"I'm well aware of that." Elliot cleared his throat. He only wished that he had half of Jenny's connection. It was a slow and painful process building up an empire. If he'd had those connections he would have made sure anyone other than Detective Walker had landed the case. But those are the breaks and the greats are the ones that deal with little inconveniences such as these. "Well there is another way that I've discovered that might work for both of us."

Sierra was intrigued. If it would get some kind of revenge on the detective it would be a bonus. Right now she was more concerned with not getting caught by Jenny and furthering herself in Elliot's organization. While she had never minded being under someone else thumb, Jenny likes to squash the life out of the ones that worked for her. It left only the truly loyal that wanted to stay with her. "Please share with me so that we can put something into play."

Elliot rolled his eyes at the impatience of his underling. He hoped that she showed better restraint when implementing the next phase of his plan. "I know for a fact that Samantha Walker has fallen for a nurse named Abigail Jones." There was no recognition in the blond's eyes at the second name so he went on. "Mrs. Jones is married to Doctor Kevin Jones." There was an instant dawning in the young woman's eyes. "It's known that the good doctor has already become aggressive in dealing with his wife's attempt at leaving him. We need to take advantage of this."

The blond woman nodded in understanding. She knew for a fact that the 'good doctor' was on the payroll of her female boss. There had many times when he had treated one of Jenny's goons. Plus hurting Abigail in any way would in the end hurt Sam too. This might just be too good to be true. Not only could she get back in favor with Jenny she could keep herself in good light with Elliot. To top it all off she could get back at the detective. Things were starting to look up for the IA officer.

"I'll get right on it." Sierra knew just exactly what to do. If she played her cards right she would be able to take out her female boss, the good doctor and Detective Walker all at the same time. Tomorrow was shaping up to be a good day after all. "I'll keep you informed." When he gave her a questioning look she quickly added, "I won't take my time. I'll be careful but I won't take my time. I know that time is of the essence."

"You have no ideal." Elliot never waited for a response. Instead he got out of the SUV and made his way back to his own car where a driver was already waiting to open the door for him. For a long moment the blond sat there and just stared after the car before she pulled out her laptop computer. After it had warmed up and she had gotten a wireless signal she typed in her search. On her notepad she wrote down some details and smiled to herself. _This could be enjoyable as well as profitable._

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Abby was cursing herself for her rumbling stomach. Only a few short hours before Melissa had made one of the most heavenly meals that she had ever had. The nurse was no slouch when it came to cooking but she realized that she could learn a thing or two from the older woman. Because of the wonderful taste she had practically gorged herself on the meal. For some reason her petite body was grumbling at her to get something more to eat just a short time later.

There was little light coming into the living room that she found herself attempting to sleep in if only her stomach would allow. For a pullout bed it was actually quite comfortable and the homemade blanket, made by Melissa, was warm and toasty. The smells of the apartment were already reminding her of the detective which also were adding to the fact that she was having trouble sleeping. It amused the nurse just how quickly that she had fallen for someone. That was not like the nurse at all. Looking back it took her almost a full year to fall for Kevin's charms.

As she lay there debating whether or not to get up and snack on some of the leftovers of the previous night's meal thoughts about the 'real' her kept going through her head. Her mind was transported in time to a little camp that was just outside of the city. It was where all the well to do parents sent their kids for six weeks of the summer so that they didn't have to worry about arranging babysitters or in her case since she was a teenager worrying about wild parties and such when they were out of town.

Her mind went to the last week that she was there almost skimming over the first five weeks. The first five weeks had found a shy and quiet girl that kept to herself and that had caused her younger self to be quite lonely. It wasn't until that last week when a redhead that she had been eyeing not really knowing why. The curly locks of red hairs and the look of the curves of the body that was already well on its way to womanhood had captured the young blond's imagination.

In fact she remembered having dreams about the redhead during the first few weeks of camp. They weren't as vivid as the dreams that she would conjure as an adult and definitely not as vivid as the ones that she would have about a certain detective. But still there had been kissing involved and it had confused an already confused adolescent. Just before she had left camp she had tried to talk to her mother about it only to tell her it was nothing. That had helped when those feelings kept getting stronger and stronger over the course of the next few weeks.

Then the fateful night happened. There were only three more days left of camp. She and the girl, Amanda something, had spent the previous four or five days sneaking off to the 'isolation' cabin. Those days had been spent talking about how much they hated their parents and how they couldn't wait to get out on their own and of course pigging out on sweets they somehow managed to get from the kitchen. It had all been innocent fun and the best time of Abby's life up until then.

Then that night happened. It had started out similar to the previous nights including the pig out. Then they started talking about never having been kissed and never having boyfriends. Amanda had said how strict her parents were and would never let her go on a date especially with the person that she wanted to go out with. The wording had caught the young blond's interest and she asked who it was the other teen wanted to go steady with.

The shock was too much at first and the first thing that young Abby had wanted to do was to run out of the cabin. But because of the shock she had been frozen in place and she listened as her new friend explained her feelings. The words that she said were so eerily like her own feelings of curiosity that she had started to think. Think about the fact that there was a girl in her class that she not only wanted to be friends with but wanted to kiss.

For a fifteen year old that had always been preached to about right and wrong and what was natural and what was not this overloaded her brain listening to someone that thought it was as natural as breathing. Of course she had watched some things on television and knew of celebrities that were 'out' but never quite understood exactly what it meant until just this moment. Oh she had known what the definition of being 'gay' was just hadn't understood the actual attraction to someone of the same sex.

Looking into those eyes that were across from her all thought went out of her younger self. Before she knew it their lips had met and a burning had erupted between her legs like she had never felt before. Hands were roaming all a bit tentatively. They paused with Amanda's hand on the inner part of her leg close to her core. Abby's teen hand had somehow paused on the other girl's breast. The locked eyes and burst out laughing.

They had fallen back on the cots that they had pushed together so that they were able to lie next to one another when they had one of their 'pig outs'. After the laughter had subsided it was Abby that had made the first move. Her hand gently stroked the other teen's cheek. In a voice that was barely audible she had whispered, "You are so beautiful." There had been a slight tremor that had radiated throughout the slightly taller woman.

Amanda had put her hand behind the young nurse's head and pulled her close so that their noses were almost touching. They shared the same breath for what seemed like forever before finally a gentle pull had closed that short gap and they had begun kissing. This time it had not been tentative and had turned into one of the most memorable nights that the adult nurse could remember. In fact, until she had met Sam, the night of passion would play out in her dreams on a consistent basis.

That was until she met Kevin. Once she and the doctor met and married she had buried those feelings so deep down that she was sure she would never find them again. It all had to do with her parents and how they had reacted when they had been told that their daughter had been engaging in inappropriate behavior while at camp. That inappropriate behavior had gotten her and Amanda a lifetime band from the small camp.

The nurse had had Amanda's address and had written a few times but had only gotten one response. Looking back on the time she wondered if her parents hadn't thrown out any letters that the other teen had written her. It had been a while since she thought in this much detail about that night so long ago. Was it now being in Sam's apartment? Was it the emotional and sensual feelings that the detective were stirring in the nurse?

A sudden restlessness overtook the nurse. As quietly as she could she got out of the nice warm bed instantly regretting it. While it was only mid-autumn it seemed that the nights had already taken on that winter feel. She was sure if she looked outside there would be frost on the lone tree that still had a handful of orange leaves hanging from its branches. Instead she went to her suitcase that sat on a coffee table and pulled out a pullover oversized sweat shirt.

It took a minute for the chill to back off and she decided that something warm was in order so she went to the kitchen and heated up some of the leftovers. Quiet as a church mouse, she began going through the cabinets in the kitchen and was glad that her girlfriend was like her and liked hot chocolate. She froze in the middle of emptying the spoonful of powder in the mug when she realized how exactly she had thought of the sweet detective.

Her initial reaction was one of panic. Quickly she put the spoon in the already heated water and put her hands on the counter to try and steady herself. It had been months since she had this severe of a panic attack. After the incident at camp she had found herself having these kinds of attacks quite often but as the years had gone on and she had been better able to suppress feelings that the encounter at the camp had brought out in her.

Finally her rational mind took back over. While the stigma of being a lesbian in this modern day was still out there gay marriage/civil unions were being recognized more and more. This was not like it was when she was growing up. This was now and she was an adult. The nurse knew her feelings and she knew exactly what she was doing. Slowly the feelings of panic faded out of her now overstressed out body and she cursed silently under her breath.

Coming out of the attack Abby realized what she had been doing and finished up her task. She took her hot chocolate and her reheated leftovers to the tiny table that her detective had the nerve to call a kitchen table. As she ate, her eyes roamed around the room. While it was a relatively small apartment there were definitely signs of what she would classify as the owner's personality shining through. In the dim light the one thing that stood out was the stand that the television sat on.

Abby rinsed off her dishes and placed them in the sink. Quietly she padded across the small apartment to see the picture that was highlighted by the moonlight that was just able to come through the blinds in the window. It was a picture in an antique looking silver frame. The picture of a small boy around seven or eight looked back at the nurse. What really captured her was the fact that the blue eyes were so much like Sam's that it took her breath away.

_Nephew? But they look so much alike. True his hair is a darker blond instead of silky black like hers but those eyes and the facial structure._ The nurse brought the picture to the window and slid the blind back so that she could get a better look at the boy in the picture. The back fell off and another silent curse escaped her as the picture fell out as well. Luckily the glass stayed in the frame. When the nurse held just the picture in her hand she turned it over and read 'My Adam at age 8'.

_My Adam? Wow! I mean it still could be just her nephew or maybe a godchild but really to use the word 'my' was a little unusual wasn't it? Of course you have no experience with that. Your sister has a child but you don't know where they are. None of your friends have kids so what is it really like to have someone you love that is part of your flesh and blood?_ Quickly the nurse put the picture back in its place tracing over the smaller but familiar angular cheek bones.

It was definitely something that she would have to discuss with Sam sometime down the road. What she was surprised by wasn't the feeling of an out and out need to confront the woman about the picture. It wasn't as if it was hidden. Perhaps Melissa would tell her about him. No this was something she felt that she needed to ask the detective about and see what she had to say. It just was another reminder about how little they really knew about one another.

Abby made her way around the tiny apartment careful not to trip over anything and make too much noise. Melissa had looked exhausted on the taxi ride to the apartment. The police still had her car in their forensic lab so it was either take a cab or the subway which neither really appealed to the petite blond but a taxi was the lesser of two evils for her. It was going on the second straight week that the older woman had been here fussing over her daughter and it was taking its toll.

The perpetual klutz in the nurse caused her to trip over a box that she hadn't seen sticking out from the edge of a recliner. It was as if it had been shoved there hastily and that was why she had hit it causing her to lose her balance but luckily not fall on her face. She leaned down to rub her foot and noticed that the metal box had opened up. Feeling a little guilty at snooping she opened the box up just to see if she could find out more about the woman she was in love with.

There were several news articles in the metal box. They were all the ones that involved the detective. The top ones were from New York and she recognized some of the cases one she had actually been involved in. _I wonder how we never realized that we met what ten months ago?_ There was another that she was sure that Emily had been involved with. _Perhaps we only dealt with her partner. He did seem a little familiar when I saw him but in a distant sort of way._

The nurse kept digging until she got to the bottom. There was a very faded article that was yellow with age. Abby had to squint to make out the date and the headline. It had happened ten years ago almost to the day. A rookie police officer had been, according to what she could see of the article, overly zealous and gotten herself in a bad situation. A woman had been in danger and instead of waiting for backup the rookie had stormed the building.

All the article said was that the rookie had been attacked and badly beaten. The nurse's mind raced to how many articles she had seen in the newspaper after having handled a rape victim and how they usually only said that the woman had been attacked. Perhaps the newspapers were trying to be more sensitive to rape victims or perhaps the violent images of the word 'rape' was too much for people and cost the newspaper sales.

The story was from Sam's hometown. The rookie was never identified as was the case in most rape cases. It was standard practice that names of victims would be withheld. It would probably be even more standard practice if it was a police officer involved. Suddenly the nurse got a strong feeling of nausea and quickly put the articles back in the metal box and put it back where she had tripped over it. Suddenly in her gut she just knew that the newspaper had been referring to Sam.

Abby as quickly and quietly as she could made her way to the bathroom. She swallowed some cold water as she once again found herself having a panic attack. This time it was because she sensed that her girlfriend had a more troubled past than she was allowing herself to think about. Was that because she was so head over heels in love that she didn't even want to think about the possibility that there was something there that could cause her not to want to be with Sam?

No, that was not the reason. It might be a slight part of the panic attack but only slight. The real reason she was having the panic attack was that the woman she loved had been hurt when she was younger and she had not been there to help stop what had happened. That was silly though wasn't it? No, not really as the nurse knew that she had one of the most formidable protective streaks within her especially when it came to the people that she cared about.

The petite blond looked at her reflection in the mirror and had to laugh easing the tension out of her body. She had what you would call a definite case of bed hair. There were slight dark circles under her eyes and she looked a little pale. She almost looked like a zombie it was so bad. _You really need to get some sleep, Abby. Luckily you have the next two days off. Gee I wonder where you are going to spend them you love sick fool._

Just as she had turned off the light in the bathroom and opened the door there was a knock on the door of the apartment. The clock on the stove read 2:34am. _Who in the hell would be knocking on Sam's door this late at night? Anyone of importance knows that she is in the hospital still. Had the detective told anyone else about me staying here? I know her captain and partner knew about her mother. Just so odd that someone would knock at this time of day._

The nurse cautiously made her way over to the door wishing she had a baseball bat or something as equally lethal. A white envelope caught her attention. For some reason something told her not to touch it perhaps it was hanging around a detective that things like crime scene procedures were echoing in her head. She squatted down and tried to make out what was written on it. The letters were cut out of a newspaper or magazine and a chill ran up and down the nurse's spine instantly.

Abby stood up quickly and got herself away from the door. She picked up the cordless phone and made her way into the bedroom not very quietly shutting the door. Melissa shot up in bed and turned on the lamp that was beside the bed. When she saw the look on the nurse's face she quickly got out of bed. It was clear that her friend was terrified and had locked the door and was leaning on it for good measure. "What is it, Sweetie?"

The nurse swallowed several times and dialed 911. She had forgotten to get the number for Sam's partner and captain so she figured this was the next best way to get a hold of them. She told the operator the situation and who to get a hold of before she hung up the phone. "I'm not sure exactly what it is. All I know is that something is not right and it could be dangerous." When Melissa's eyes questioned her she continued, "When you get a letter addressed to you in letters cut out of a newspaper and magazine it is never good."


	9. Chapter 9

Kevin Jones was somewhere he probably shouldn't be seeing that he was going through a divorce and his life was going to be under scrutiny. There was one way of course to avoid that and not contest the divorce but he had never in his life given up the good fight. In fact he had always made sure what was his stayed his and he was not about to lose Abigail especially to some woman. Not that he had much to say anymore but he was going to make it as difficult as possible that was for sure.

The loud music, the fourth bottle of beer in his hand and lack of sleep were making his thoughts a little muddled. Or was it the fact that he was watching several girls grind onstage against poles. Some were short and some were tall. There was only one that was catching his eye and that was a petite blond that looked at least a little like his wife. He pulled out his wallet and waved a twenty at the girl in question. She crawled on her hands and knees over to him and lay on her side.

Her eyes were blue and he cursed inwardly. Still the rest of her was an almost body double for his wife. The rule of the club was look but no touch. The closest that you could come to physical contact was when you showed the ladies appreciation for their many talents. The girl went from her side to her back and started to thrust her womanhood at him and it sent a jolt through his entire body. Finally she came close to the edge of the stage where he slipped the twenty under the spaghetti strap of her thong under ware.

"I wish you could be her." Though not drunk he had just gotten off a twenty six hours straight stint between the ER and performing surgeries so his body was a little more susceptible to the alcohol. The young thing looked at him and smiled. He sat back on his chair and watched as she danced away from him on to the next one that had money. His eyes never left her and every so often she would look back at him. He was not sure if it was his slurred mind or if she really did want him.

The doctor took a last swallow of his beer and was about to get up and go when the waitress sat another beer on the table. He looked at the bottle and then up at the waitress. There was an obvious question on his face as he had not ordered the beer and in fact had been cut off by another waitress. "It's from the blond over in the corner." Kevin turned to look in the direction that she was pointing surprised to see a really good looking petite blond waving at him.

The dark haired man stumbled as he tried to get up and almost knocked the beer over but caught it just before it tipped. He took a long swallow of the almost tasteless beverage another sign that he was beyond his limit if only because of his lack of sleep. Carefully he made his way over to where the blond woman sat looking at him with brown eyes and a smile. "Thanks for the beer." His words were quite slurred. "I should have refused if only cause I think I'm drunk."

The blond woman patted the seat next to her and the doctor seated himself trying to stretch out his long legs in the cramped booth. "My name is Sierra. I've been watching you all night." The doctor looked her up and down not sure what to make of the situation. Again he really should be careful as he was in a sticky situation with the scrutiny the divorce was to bring and of course with his recent brush with the law not to mention his 'real' boss. "Sorry if I should have asked before sending over a drink. Just wanted to be friendly."

Kevin found himself drawn to this woman as she had a little pout going on her face. He was so enamored that he leaned over and whispered barely audible with the loud music blaring. "You want to come back to my place? My wife isn't home and what she doesn't know won't hurt her." He managed somehow to wriggle his eyebrows for effect but it only made him look like he was going to be sick. The tall man managed to steady himself enough to give the blond a wink as the effects of the alcohol really started to hit him. _That fifth beer was a bad ideal._

It was a good thing that Sierra was used to putting on a good act. The man, when sober, was quite attractive and wouldn't have minded going to bed with him. But right now he was a drunken slob that actually had drool sliding down one corner of his mouth and onto his chin. It was enough to make her want to run screaming but she had a job to do. This was all part of the plan though this part she was truly loathing. "Why don't I drive us? I've only had the one little wine spritzer."

The doctor could not believe his luck. While he would have preferred to go home with the stripper that reminded him of his wife it had been a very long time since he'd had gotten his pleasure. Abby had refused to have sex with him for at least two months now always saying she was tired yet she was never too tired to go off with that other blond nurse. What about him? He was her husband and he deserved to be pleased. Well if she wasn't going to please him he'd find someone who would.

"I think…" Once again the doctor was stumbling and slurring his words. It was so bad that he was barely coherent even to the trained ear of the IA officer. The man hiccupped and smiled his eyes glassy looking. "I think that would be a good idea." The man managed to get out all in one breath. The blond woman giggled as if she was having a good time and his smile grew. He threw down a large bill on the table not even realizing it was a hundred dollar bill.

Sierra put his arm over her shoulder so that she could steady them as they walked out of the club. She was grateful that he only slurred a sentence or two the whole time that they drove to his apartment. He was so drunk that he never even asked how it was that she knew the way to his apartment without directions. The doorman of the building helped her get him into the elevator and she nodded. "Thanks. I'll take it from here."

The IA officer just hoped that she could manage to get the much larger man into his bed before he passed out on her. Her luck was holding out as he managed to stand as she took the keys he offered her and opened the apartment door. It held just long enough to steer him into the bedroom and get him on the bed. He managed one more incoherent slur before he passed out. Luck was holding as this was all part of the plan.

Silently she undressed the larger man and managed to tuck him under the comforter. He began snoring like a passed out sailor. It actually hurt the young bond's ears it was so loud. She sighed heavily. _This is going to be one long fucking night. But remember, Sierra it's all part of the plan. Blackmail the good doctor that way you and Elliot can control him instead of that witch Jenny. All part of the plan so just keep that in mind while you have to listen to him snore the night away._

Sierra went to work setting up several cameras and programming them to take pictures every few minutes. She got undressed and began to make it look like they were anything but sleeping. After a few minutes the cameras stopped clicking and she made her way to them. Instantly they were sent to her laptop and one that Elliot owned for safe keeping. Quickly she put the small cameras back in her oversized purse and climbed back into bed.

_Boy is the good doctor going to be in for a rude awakening. But that's what happens when you let yourself go. I'll never let myself go ever again. I learned that from you, Samantha Walker. It's all about control and it's all about revenge. Luckily revenge is a dish best served cold._ The blond laughed at the thought. Finally after how many years she was finally within inches of getting her revenge. It warmed her heart and made it all bearable.

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"What in the hell is going on in my own department!" Captain Johnathan Leik was in a mood that was for sure. But who could blame him? First Detective Walker has an 'accident'. Then her partner gets setup most likely by IA. Now somehow someone had gotten past the police officers watching Sam's mother so that a note threatening the young nurse Abigail that is staying with the detective's mother. "I mean there is no way that anyone should have been able to get close enough to drop off an envelope."

The victim of his tirade, Steven Waters and detective Walker's partner, was sitting slumped in the chair. He was not upset that he was getting yelled at. In fact he felt like shouting as well he was getting so frustrated. This was not even on the level a little while back when there was that corrupt politician that had bought half the force. This was something greater with a lot more power. It was making his skin crawl at thinking what exactly could be behind it.

"I know." It was all Steve could say. He had interrogated the four officers on protective detail for at least five hours. There were two entranceways to the apartment building but they claimed that while they were there that no one even approached the building. And yet there was an envelope and letter being processed by one Susie Munson. If no one had approached the building and there were no secret entranceways how in the hell had they gotten that close. "I've put someone outside the door to the apartment."

The captain looked his detective in the eye. Sitting before him was one of the few people on the force that he knew most likely could not be corrupted. The lab rat handling the evidence was also one of the few in the entire force that he knew without a doubt he could trust. That still left a lot of officers that could be bought or plants. He knew for a fact that the IA wasn't immune to such things which was scary because they were the one that policed the police. Whoever had control of them had control of almost the entire department.

"The commissioner is livid." John ran his fingers through his unruly gray hair. He had been at the precinct since just after three in the morning and it was now going on ten in the morning. Ever since he had gotten the call from the 911 operator telling him the message that Abigail Jones had left for him and his detective he hadn't left the building. He had even gone down to the basement trying to see if Susie had any news. So far whoever did this was looking like an expert.

"We don't have anything to go on yet." Steve sipped his coffee. He too had been up since three that morning but he had been scurrying here and there and had stopped by the hospital to inform his partner of the latest twist in everything. He could not even say case because what case would it be? Was it connected to Sam's accident? Was it connected to Abby's situation? Or was this a new threat? The nurse said she only could think of her husband but Steve and Sam knew of one other person that might go after the young nurse.

It was a situation that when Sam had first come onto the force she had kept mum about. But the detective had started to see her ex everywhere in the strange faces of the large crowds of New York and had decided that she needed to confess to Steve just what exactly had made her come to the big city. Having Leslie Wilson out in the wind made her the prime suspect in this latest mess that they were trying very hard to clean up. After what the note said:

_I see you_

_You don't see me_

_I know who you are_

_You are with her_

_She'll only hurt you_

_She hurts everyone_

_I'll make you safe_

_I'll make it so she can't hurt you_

_Soon….._

Steve was glad that for whatever reason that Abby had decided not to touch the envelope and therefore had not seen what was inside. Already she had asked several times but there was a lockdown in place put on by the captain. Their fear was that somehow IA or the FBI would get wind of it and they would have to hand over whatever information they had. They knew that they could count on Susie to keep them informed and even after the latest scare she'd had, she'd do anything for her best friend Sam.

To tell the truth if anything, the lab rat was more determined now than ever to get to the bottom of things. Her husband had taken the precaution of hiring some bodyguards for both of them but if they could get through a police protection detail who could they not get through? It was a sobering thought. Of course the detective was already quite sober and quite sick of coffee. He was already on his tenth cup of coffee and between the caffeine and the stress of the situation he was about to burst.

"From what Munson tells me the person was clever. No fingerprints and no DNA when they sealed the envelope." The captain pounded his hand on his large wooden desk in frustration. There were times when being a 'by the book' cop were frustrating as hell. This was one of those times. He was tempted to go to the FBI. A former detective of his had become an agent and still was one that he thought he could trust. After all the FBI were already involved in Sam's 'accident' though they were not saying if they had gotten anywhere with that.

"They were clever, whoever the bastard is." Steve stood and stretched. He crumpled up the Styrofoam cup and threw it in the wastebasket. "I think I'm going to go home for a quick shower and a quick nap. Then I'm going to see if I can find anyone around Sam's apartment building. Hate to bother her neighbors again but we've got to do something." He stifled a yawn and made it to the door but turned back to his captain. "I'll keep you informed."

John was preoccupied and barely nodded his head. The door closing never truly registered in his mind as he was deciding something that could get him in trouble with the commissioner. Cursing rather loudly he picked up the phone and dialed a number he had memorized. "Burrows? Yeah it's you're old captain." He listened intently. "Thought I'd be calling about the Walker situation which is kinda true. There's been a new twist. Meet you at the usual spot in half an hour. Don't be late."

The captain hung up the phone and leaned against his desk. He began rubbing the sides of his head. He was hoping that he could still count on his former detective to be loyal. Not do anything to get him in trouble but at least he would listen unlike most FBI agents when dealing with the locals. Right now all of this just felt too organized and with too much power behind it. Perhaps it would be better if the feds handled everything. John smiled to himself and thought 'when pigs fly'.

()()()()()()()()()()()()

Though she knew she shouldn't be doing it, Abby was lying next to the tall dark detective. Melissa and the nurse had come to the hospital even before visiting hours neither really able to settle back down after finding the letter. Not knowing what was inside was frustrating the nurse her mind racing with the worst of possibilities but was also glad that she didn't know. Sam's arms were wrapped around the petite blond and the nurse's head was on the detective's shoulder relaxing her enough so that the nurse was sound asleep.

Melissa had fallen asleep in the uncomfortable chair for a little bit when they had first gotten settled in the room but now was wide awake. Oh she was still tired as could be but something was just telling her that this was the start of something bad other than what her daughter was going through and she wasn't sure that it didn't have anything to do with a certain stalker of her daughter's. Of course there was the possibility that it was Abby's soon to be ex-husband's doing but the innkeeper just had this feeling it had to do with Leslie Wilson.

The innkeeper had not been thrilled when her daughter had told her of the romance between the two when they were teenagers. It was not because she had trouble dealing with the fact that her daughter was a lesbian. It was the fact that her daughter had seemed to fall fast and hard and knew that with Leslie being a foreign exchange student that things might end badly when the girl was forced back home.

Nothing could have prepared her for what had happened upon the return of the woman just a couple years ago. Sam had gone to her mother before she went to her fellow police officers. The last thing she had wanted was to get the woman in trouble. All Sam had wanted to do was to rekindle the friendship part and had made it crystal clear that there were no residual romantic feelings left. Melissa had tried to talk to Leslie but her mind was focused on one goal and that was having her daughter any way that she could.

They had tried the normal steps to deal with a stalker but restraining orders are just a piece of paper. They are so hard to enforce and Leslie was persistent to say the least. The last bit that was too much for her daughter was when the obsessed woman showed up when they had been on a family picnic. The grandchildren ranging from 2 to 8 along with the spouses and of course Sam. The woman was brandishing a gun and little Adam still had nightmares about that.

The boy was sweet and innocent. Melissa remembered the first three years of his life. His grandmother had raised him before her youngest son Jeffrey had gotten married and settled down. While the innkeeper had loved her grandson, it had become too much for her to keep up the bread and breakfast and with his seemingly endless supply of energy. The boy was an angel and everyone loved him including his mother.

Sam was half awake and half asleep. Melissa could tell that she was quite content having her arms around the nurse. There were so many things going on in the new couple's lives that she wondered if they'd be able to survive it all. There were things that she knew that her daughter had yet to tell Abby. One of the most important things that were left out there was how she had a son and how he had come to be. That was why he had been raised by family members.

Melissa wondered if, when everything settled down, the couple would want to take over parenting duties. Sam was wonderful with any child but especially with her own son. She had really not seen Abby with children but had to guess that she was pretty good too. Anyone that worked as a nurse had to be good with all ages plus she had an amazingly warm heart. Or perhaps it would be best to leave it like it was so that Adam had a steady life but also would know the love of his two 'aunts'.

The innkeeper stood and stretched. For now they had to figure out the present and who was doing what and to whom. From what little Sam had gotten out of her partner the person was a pro. There was nothing on the envelope to indicate who it was from. There were no new breaks in the 'accident' case either. It really was leaving all of their lives in limbo. What Melissa wanted to do was to suggest they go to the bed and breakfast for a few days once Sam was released out of the hospital but knew her stubborn daughter would not want to go back to the hometown while danger was out there.

Looking at the couple made her smile. She knew that they had a long road ahead of them but the way her daughter was acting it would be all right. It was the first time that she could remember her ever really taking a relationship seriously and they hadn't even kissed yet. The maturity that was coming out in her daughter warmed her heart. It had taken a long road to get here and she just hoped that it would continue along the long and bumpy road that lie ahead.

Melissa made her way to the bathroom and washed her hands and face. They had left the apartment in such a hurry that neither had taken the time to do their morning grooming rituals. It was all right though as she looked in the mirror. Although she was tired and there her wrinkles were a little accented overall she felt she still looked good. It was past time for her to get something to eat and some coffee. Blue eyes watched her as she made it to the door. She made signs for food and drink and the detective winked at her in understanding.

It was new and an odd feeling. There was now an extra police officer outside the door. This one was in plain clothes that was older and appeared getting close to retirement. He followed the innkeeper to the elevators. She waited for him to enter the elevator before selecting the floor for the cafeteria. The elevator doors opened on the next floor down and Melissa was stunned to see a certain tall dark and evil doctor standing next to her. Frankly he looked like shit. It looked like he hadn't slept in a week and there were dark circles under his eyes.

She looked him up and down understanding at least a little of what Abby must have seen in him in the beginning. But she also knew what kind of a heart beat under that hair covered chest at least she assumed it was hair covered. The innkeeper was fighting a battle inside of herself whether or not to say anything and her better senses seemed to leave her for a moment. It was stupid but this sudden protective streak over Abby was coming out in full force. "Hope you have the sense to just sign the divorce papers and make Abigail happy for once."

Kevin whipped his head around. He had been studying a chart assumedly of one of his patients. His dark eyes looked at her with disgust. "You're the detective's mother." It wasn't a question and therefore all Melissa did was put on a face that showed the venom she was feeling inside toward the doctor. "I've excused myself off her case. My wife should do the same thing. But since she's met your daughter all of her good senses have gone out the window. And she was happy before she came along."

Melissa laughed at the doctor. For a man that was intelligent enough to be a doctor he really was stupid. Or was it that he was just pigheaded? In any case he was delusional and that was a very dangerous thing. "You might as well start thinking of her as your EX wife. And she wasn't happy with you for a long time. She told me herself. As far as being my daughter's nurse she had handed those duties over to whoever else is on the same floor. If nothing else your ex-wife is a professional. From the look and smell of you I can't say the same thing about you."

The doctor came at the innkeeper just to find himself being thrown back against the elevator wall. The doors opened and a crowd of people were watching intently what was going on. The police officer had the doctor's arm behind his back and was putting pressure there. "It's not nice to go after ladies. Now I could take you in for being stupid but that involves a lot of paperwork. Why don't you go somewhere and cool off and get it through your head that Melissa, Samantha, and Abigail all are very well protected. You lay one finger on any of them and you'll be in jail so fast your head will spin."

The elevator doors began to close only to have Melissa hold them open. "Not sure if this is your stop or not but why don't you take another elevator. This one needs some airing out." The doctor glared at the woman. He shook free of the grip that had loosened over time from the police officer. Without a word he stormed off the elevator the crowd parting like the Red Sea. A few people got on the elevator and the doors closed. The older woman got a little closer to the officer and whispered, "Thank you. Me and my big mouth almost got me in trouble again. Sam is always warning me about that."

"If I may be so bold, Ma'am you spoke from your heart." The officer smiled at her in a way that the innkeeper hadn't been smiled at since, well, since her husband had passed away. "He's one of those thick lots that won't get it until it's smashed over his head a few times. We will do everything in our power to make sure that you, your daughter and her friend are safe." The man actually winked at Melissa and caused the older women to blush slightly.

"How about joining me for a cup of coffee?" Melissa felt a giddy feeling take over her. With what just happened with the doctor, her daughter's accident and this new threat against Abby she really should just be in a somber mood. But something was making her feel good. Was it watching her daughter fall in love? Was it watching the nurse do the same? Or was it being around this police officer that was stirring something in her that she long ago thought was dead and buried.

"I'd love to Ma'am." The officer saw the raised eyebrow. "I'll call you Mrs. Walker while I'm on duty." He waited for the elevator to empty as they had made it to the floor of the cafeteria. "That way we can keep it professional. My name is Jared Jeffries." As they were walking down the hallway side by side he offered her his hand. She managed to accept it without having to turn and stop. They walked into the cafeteria and he boldly got them both a cup of coffee and a couple pastries. When the innkeeper went to pay for it he had already pulled out his wallet. "My treat, Ma'am."

"Call me Ma'am again and you'll get a swat on the backside." Even the bold and sure woman found herself blushing after the statement. They found themselves a secluded table in the back. They made their coffees to their liking in silence and each took one of the pastries. Melissa took a sip of her coffee noticing that the man kept scanning the room just as her daughter would. Right then and there she decided she liked the man. Maybe a little too much.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Sam was fully awake now and listening to the heavy breathing of the woman she was holding tightly. She knew that this could get Abby in trouble and she hated the thought. But it was evident from the moment that the woman had walked into the room well before visiting hours that she needed to feel safe. The nurse's apartment still had her husband in it so definitely not safe. Emily's apartment had been corrupted. Now even the detective's apartment had been gotten to and with four police officers watching.

There was definitely something really big going on here if this person or people could gain that easy of access to any of these places especially Emily's. From what her partner had told her it was like Fort Knox the security was so tight. That meant that this person or persons had to have a lot of connections. It was sounding more and more 'family' connected in the detective's mind. If that were true it had to go back to one of her cases and she knew which one.

Why were they putting the pressure on when all the DNA evidence had mysteriously disappeared? Sure there were notes lying around in her partner's, hers and Susie's handwriting but those were just notes and not admissible in a courtroom. So why were these people still going after them? Was there more to it than just simply getting some asshole off of rape charges? Rape charges that deep down the detective thought were bogus.

She knew that there were times when a rape victim refused to talk to detectives out of shame and hatred of reliving the trauma but this was different. Her sixth sense told her this girl was lying and that the sex was consensual. But of course she had no proof and no way at least at the moment of proving it one way or another. If she had it would make things go a lot easier she realized. But when was her life ever simple and easy. That got a chuckle out of the detective gently shaking the sleeping nurse.

Green eyes fluttered open and were immediately were captured by brilliant blue ones. It was an amazing way to wake up and the nurse quickly thought that she could get used to waking up like that. But her happy warm feelings quickly crashed back down to earth as she remembered exactly why it was that she was sleeping in the detective's arms. "Morning." The nurse tried to get up but found a pair of very strong arms holding her in place. "I, um, probably should get up."

Sam gave her a puppy dog look but allowed, after a few more moments of feeling the nurse's warm body snuggled up against her, the blond to sit up. Abby sat on the edge of the bed and took the hand that was closest to her in her own. Once again she found herself lost in blue eyes that seemed to be able to look deep into her soul. It was an interesting feeling and one that she seemed to have felt before. It was like all of this was familiar and yet it was so new. She had no way to explain exactly what was going on.

"Good morning." Sam kept her gaze steady and tried to keep a smile upon her face. There was no reason for the nurse to worry any more than she already was. The detective was used to worrying and planning and she wanted nothing more than to protect the younger woman. Of course right now she was at a slight disadvantage with the bum leg. But that would heal and she would not only protect the woman that had slept in her arms she would show her just how much she meant to her.

Abby began to play with her short blond hair. Its cut was just above her neckline telling her that it was probably due for another trim. Right now that was the last thing that was on her mind as now she was wondering if Kevin could be behind the letter or not. Not knowing what it said was putting her at a slight disadvantage to figure out what was going on. The only one that she knew for sure from her past and unfortunately her present was her soon to be, but not fast enough, ex-husband.

"I know it's still early but have you had any word?" Abby's voice was almost childlike. The pain and the fear were evident. It made the detective want to wrap her up in a protective blanket but knew that was something she would never be able to do no matter where they were. "I don't even know what the letter said. It's a little unnerving not knowing what's going on in my own life." The nurse could no longer keep her gaze on her friend's face.

With a gentleness that Kevin nor any of her other lovers, not that there were many, Sam forced the younger woman to look her in the eye. "I haven't spoken to anyone yet this morning. I think whoever did this was very careful and getting anything from the envelope or letter may not be possible." She saw the defeated look on the petite blond and hated that look. "But just believe in me and believe in my cohorts. We'll find a way to sort all of this out, I promise. Meantime we are safe here and I've made arrangements for you and Mother to have special details."

At first Abby wanted to argue against the thought thinking just how intrusive it could be. But if she refused she was certain that Melissa would too and she was worried about her new friend. While far from ancient, the woman was older and the nurse would feel better if she was taken care of. Of course she'd feel better if this whole situation was over with but she was not naïve. She knew that these could be connected or they could be separate. Either way it was a long road left to travel. "I appreciate that. I especially am glad that your mother will be watched over."

It warmed the detective's heart to hear those words out of the younger woman's mouth. These were the little things that were causing the slightly older woman to fall so quickly and so deeply in love with the slightly younger woman. There was an honesty and a compassion and selflessness that very few people had in the world at least once they became adults. It was something she was holding close to her heart. "I know. She can and always has been able to take care of herself but this is different. This is…"

"An unknown danger." Abby finished for the detective. "It's easier to protect yourself when you know what you are dealing with. Although when it came to my soon to be ex-husband him coming after me like that, most likely twice, I would have never seen coming." The nurse sighed heavily knowing that this could go on for quite a while depending on who was behind everything. "I'm just glad I have you in my life now. I feel, um, well it's hard to say this since we've only known each other a couple weeks but I feel so totally…"

"Complete." Sam finished for the nurse. "Whole again after being split a part for a very long time." That got a crinkled up nose from the nurse as an adorable smile was upon her face. _Just another reason to love the woman. That face is so damn cute I don't think it should be legal. Hmm. Maybe I could play a cop and arrest the young woman and…_ The detective's mind wandered off into a very sensual world. The monitors began to alert the nurse that the other woman's heartbeat was racing.

The look on her face was priceless and she could not help but wonder if what Sam was thinking was something along the lines of what she had been thinking when she had zoned out on Emily. If it was that would be a very good thing especially with all the stress that was going on in their lives. "Sam." There was no response from the detective. "Sam, honey…" That got blue eyes snapping to look at her. It was the first time that she had used the endearment to her friend and soon to be lover. "What were you just thinking?"

Sam had to swallow a few times as her mouth had gone dry. All she could think about was the images of a very naked Abby lying on the soft rug in one of her mother's rooms of her bed and breakfast. This wasn't the first time that she had had such a fantasy and it was making her want more and more to take a trip back home with this woman that showed concern on her face. "I was thinking of taking a trip to my mother's bed and breakfast."

Abby got a disappointed look on her face. This was not what she thought that Samantha was going to tell her. Although what she had been expecting was beyond the nurse. _No it isn't beyond you. You wanted her to say that she was thinking of making love to you. But you can't even think about until the divorce is final. With Kevin contesting it, that could take a while even with his indiscretion with the law._ "You probably need some time by yourself to recuperate. Maybe spend a little time with your mother and I believe you have two brothers and some nieces and nephews?"

The look on the nurse's face was too much for the detective but she was going to wait until she addressed it. "I have an older brother and a younger brother. Jeffrey is younger by two years and has…" _Do I tell her he has one or two kids? _"A son and an adopted son." _Well for now that will hopefully be enough. It's partially the truth and not a lie. Jeff always treats Adam like his own son._ "Robert is older by two years and has a girl and a boy." She took Abby's hand in her own. "What I was thinking of was you and me at the bed and breakfast."

That caused the nurse to swallow a few times. It was her turn for her throat to go absolutely dry. "Um well now that would be something." Her face had lit up at the thought but quickly faded as she thought about her divorce situation. "It might sound silly but we'd have to have separate rooms. And before you say anything it's not because I'm not attracted to you or want to be with you. Oh heaven only knows how much I do." She smiled sheepishly at the detective. "It's just I wouldn't feel comfortable until the divorce is final. Which sadly may take quite a while." The nurse looked away not being able to maintain eye contact.

Sam took Abby's hand in her own. The other hand once again gently forced her to look in the bluest eyes she'd ever seen. There was passion and compassion in those eyes as well as understanding. "I may have a reputation with the ladies but I also have always respected anyone I have been with." The thumb on the hand that was on the nurse's chin began to rub the soft area gently. "And you are the most special and amazing woman I have ever met. Believe me when I say that you are worth the wait."

Abby got choked up at the words. In the beginning, Kevin had spoken such sentiments to her. But that was while they were dating. After they had gotten married a kind word was a rare thing indeed. While she knew that this was the beginning of a relationship and that was when the sweetness always was, something told her that Sam would never treat her the way her husband had. She would always treasure the nurse and tell her that every single day. "So are you."

Though they knew they shouldn't especially with where they were, Abby leaned in and met Sam's lips. It was tentative at first as they were just getting a sense of one another. After a few moments both their breathing picked up and a passion began to ignite in both of them. The bells going off on the monitors were in the background as was the fact that a petite dark haired nurse had entered the room. Hands had begun to explore and the kiss turned into the most intense and passionate kiss that either of them had experienced in their lives.

And yet they had experienced it before. It felt so familiar. All of the feelings they were having were new and yet ones they'd had before. It was like they were meant to find one another in this and every lifetime that they lived. The feelings coursing through their bodies blocked out everything around them and finally they pulled apart to breathe. Both looked at each other lustily and wanted nothing more than to continue what their kiss had started but knew it could not be at least not for a little while.

"Abby!" The nurse turned around to see the lead nurse on the shift she was working. The petite blond's face was instantly as red as a stop sign. She pulled away from the detective although reluctantly because even though she knew she was in trouble she didn't want to lose the contact and the feelings the physical touching gave her. The dark haired nurse was shaking her head. "I guess you know what's going to happen now." With that the nurse walked out without even checking the monitors or any of the detective's vital signs.

Sam looked at the woman whose face was still quite red her eyes questioning what exactly the other nurse was talking about. The nurse sighed and began to explain. "I'll probably be suspended." That got a sad look on her face. "And it doesn't help with the divorce proceedings." When the detective started to say something she put her finger gently on her lips. "I might even lose my job. But you know what?" The detective looked at her worry on her face. "It was worth every second." In fact so much so that the nurse leaned in for a second round of passionate kisses.


	10. Chapter 10

Abby sat outside in the office that led to the board of administration. The secretary kept looking at her like she was in trouble. In truth she felt like she had been summoned to the principal's office when she had received the summons to appear before the board. The nurse had been expecting this ever since Margaret, the lead nurse, had caught her in the lip lock with Sam. The nurse had known it was wrong but with everything going on it had been a need for comfort.

In fact she was surprised it had taken five days for the summons to appear. In that time she had avoided Sam and Melissa when she was on the clock and was trying to find an apartment of her own. The detective had gotten a bit upset at the fact that she was thinking of moving out but it was time that she got on her own two feet. Abby had not been on her own since she had left home for nursing school. It was a scary feeling being on her own once again.

Even with everything going on, she decided it was time to take that step. She was not going to be stupid and not accept the protection detail that her girlfriend had offered her but at the same time she wanted to find some independence before she fell right into another relationship. Besides, Sam was going to be released in two more days and that small cramped apartment was going to get even smaller and more cramped. Going back to Emily's was a possibility but really Abby just wanted an apartment at least for a little while on her own.

Overall Sam had been wonderful about the whole thing. Having been a very independent person her entire life it was not hard for the tall dark and gorgeous detective to understand wanting your freedom. Of course Abby could see it in the slightly older woman's eyes that she was worried that this freedom was going to hurt their growing relationship. But that was the last thing that would happen at least in the nurse's mind. In fact, if she got the apartment she was looking at, it might just bring them closer together.

Though she doubted that there was a whole lot that wouldn't bring them closer. It truly was as if the two had known each other forever and what they were doing now was learning the small things about one another. Of course deep down Abby knew that she was a hopeless romantic and it could be that she was trying to convince herself of how she felt. No. When two people have a connection so deep that there was an actual energy transfer when they simply held hands it was knowing each other in a different lifetime.

"Mrs. Jones?" Abby hated to respond to the name but it was what she was still. If Kevin was good it would only be for a few more months. If he was a jerk it could go on for a year or so. That would be so difficult to deny her what she wanted most and that was to get to know Sam on a more intimate level. The nurse shuddered at the thought. "Um, Abby?" That brought the nurse out of her little daydream that was getting more and more intense.

"Sorry. I was daydreaming." The petite blond stood up and straightened her wrinkled white nurse's uniform that she had spent all day in. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes focusing on the task at hand. The secretary was holding the door open so the nurse strode in with her head held high. "Thank you." She walked in the room to see all familiar faces looking back at her. While they were mostly friendly outside the confines of the hospital she knew that this was all business. "Ladies. Gentlemen."

Abby found herself sitting in an armless chair that was anything but comfortable. _Probably make it uncomfortable so you know you are in real trouble and boy am I in trouble._ There was a long slightly curved table that a half dozen administrators sat behind. The head administrator was a woman in her late fifties with pepper hair. The woman and the nurse's mother were actually quite good friends but that meant nothing in this room and with the rest of the administrators.

The peppered haired woman cleared her throat as she shuffled through some papers. She wore ultra-thin wire rimmed glasses and proceeded to push them up. She licked her lips and took a deep breath to begin. "It saddens me to say this but Mrs. Jones you have been accused of inappropriate behavior with a patient." The woman flipped through a file now that the nurse assumed was her work record. As far as the nurse new it was spotless. "This appears to be your first offense."

Though she felt that she had really done nothing truly wrong Abby was shifting nervously in her chair a little. Some of the shifting was because of the uncomfortable chair not that the board would realize that. "I've never had a complaint that I know of against me. May I ask exactly what it is that was reported?" If it was the head nurse then it would be as simple as the inappropriate kiss. However if it was someone else it could be what?

Another of the board members cleared his throat. This man was in his mid-sixties and looked about ready for retirement as far as the nurse was concern. This was one of the few board members that Abby had had little interaction with. If her memory served her correctly this man had only been on the board about three months. "It seems you have an intimate relationship with a patient. While not going into details you've been spending a lot of time with a Detective Samantha Walker."

That kind of description could have meant anything in the world. Abby straightened in her chair. She began tapping her foot in a bit of frustration. _Why can't they just tell me what it is they think I've done? If it's so bad then fire my bum! This is a waste of my time that could be used working with the patients._ "I have been spent time outside of the hospital with Mrs. Walker, the patient's mother. And I did get, unfortunately, pulled into what the detective is going through professionally. However I have for the most part kept my distance from Ms. Walker herself."

There were several shifting of papers and looking at her file. It was starting to get on her nerves and she was about to say more or just walk out of the room letting them fire her if they so chose when once again the head board woman spoke again. "There are no specifics that have been reported so I don't know why we are really here." She glanced at the last paper and there was a dawning on her face. However it was not something she could share with the daughter of her friend. "I vote we leave this off her record entirely."

There was mumbling back and forth. Abby was about to get up once again sick of the scrutiny especially when there was supposedly nothing there for them to use against her anyways. Finally there was a consensus. "The board agrees to only leave you with a verbal warning." The nurse relaxed in her chair. "I personally want to say that I think this was an abuse of the system and will personally take this matter up with the complaintive. Abby, you have a good day but be careful."

The nurse nodded and thanked the board. She bolted out of the office not even bothering to say anything to the secretary. Her first thought was to go to Sam but she knew that was a stupid move as that was the reason she had been called into the office. Outside apparently waiting for Abby was the head nurse that had been the one to see Sam and her kissing. The older woman waited for the petite blond to come close to her. "I just wanted you to know that it wasn't me."

There was a smile upon the older woman's face and Abby was wondering what that was about. Then she saw a wink and the other nurse took off back toward the elevators. The stunned petite blond didn't really know what to think about that except that maybe her boss was actually an old romantic and had decided not to turn her in. Regardless, she had still ended up in trouble that she had narrowly escaped. _Gotta be more careful Jones!_

Abby looked at the clock in the hallway. Her shift had ended twenty minutes ago. She mentally smacked herself on the back of the head as she remembered the appointment she had. Quickly she made her way to the elevators and to the nurse's lounge. Just as quickly she showered and changed into her street clothes which were a nice fitting black jeans and plain long sleeved black button shirt with a collar. She left the top button undone and threw on her jacket.

It seemed that she caught every light red as she made her way to her appointment. This she knew could get her into trouble but it would be worth it. The officer assigned to her had trouble keeping up with her as she made her way to Sam's apartment building. Finally she found her way to the same floor that her girlfriend's apartment was on. The trek to the opposite end of the floor took only a few moments. She glanced at her watch realizing she was five minutes late which was better than she thought she was going to be.

Abby steeled herself and knocked on the door. A tall dark haired man in his mid-thirties opened the door. The nurse hardly heard a word that he was saying. She glanced around. It was a larger apartment than Sam's. In fact it had two bedrooms and it had two bathrooms. Still it was smaller than her apartment she had shared for how many years with Kevin but it felt a lot homier than that place had ever felt. The bonus was that it came fully furnished as she had no furniture of her own.

"I'll take it!" The nurse wasn't sure if the real estate agent had even finished his sales pitch. She just knew that it was a nice sized apartment, it was located in a fairly safe neighborhood, there was a doorman and of course the most important thing in her decision was that it was right down the hall from a certain dark haired detective. "When can I move in?" Abby felt as giddy as a school girl and as excited as a fan meeting their favorite actor.

Again the voice of the realtor went over the nurse's head. She heard today and that was fine with her. The only hard part was going to be telling both Melissa and Sam that she was moving out. The plus was that she would only be down the hall and could spend as much time with them as she wanted to. _You are such a naughty nurse! I can't believe you are doing this just so you can be close to Sam. But now that I've found her I'm not going to lose her_.

The thought of some crazed psycho out there still terrified her but something was stronger than her fear. There was something stronger than the unknown. To the nurse the start of a new relationship that she hoped would last a lifetime and beyond that was what the most important thing was. She just hoped that Sam would understand and maybe someday they could even end up living in the same apartment. Oh that gave the nurse goose bumps.

()()()()()()()()()

Detective Samantha Walker watched as her mother began to pack what few things that the tall dark haired woman had with her at the hospital. Her mother had brought some things of 'comfort' for her but overall it really wasn't much. The detective was both excited and worried. Excited that finally she was going to get to go home after almost three weeks in the hospital. If her leg wasn't so sore she'd be ready to run marathons at this point but knew she'd have to take it easy.

She was worried because she had heard little from her favorite nurse. Abby had spent the first day after discovering the note clinging like saran wrap to the detective. The second day it was like a light bulb had gone off in the nurse and she was now acting like it was no big deal. That was odd seeing that the nurse still had no idea what was in the note. Yet she was acting as if everything was all right and it was safe for them all to resume their normal activities.

Since Abby had returned to duty the past few days, Sam had only seen her after hours. Even then they had maintained their distance after getting caught by the head nurse kissing. The detective had to admit that she missed even just the brush of her hand against her own. It was funny just how quickly she had gotten used to seeing the nurse at least a few times during the day and the gentle little touches when she was with her.

But those touches had come to an almost complete stop. It made Sam wonder if she had done something wrong or if this had something to do with facing the board of administration. There was the third possibility that Abby was reacting to the stress of everything by shutting certain things down. If that were the case it could be very dangerous for the nurse. Shutting down your emotions is never a good thing and can lead to destructive behavior.

Melissa put the small bag on the ground next to the chair that she had claimed all these weeks as her own. She had to admit that she was not going to miss that blasted chair. She was however going to miss a certain police officer though from what her daughter told her he was still going to be assigned to her but be stationed just outside the apartment. That was a good thing as far as the innkeeper was concerned. A very good thing indeed.

"Have you heard from her?" Sam's voice echoed in the room that to her felt empty without the glowing presence of her girlfriend. Again it was silly for her to be this attached to someone so quickly but the detective could just not help it. All she wanted to do was light some candles, order some steaks from her favorite restaurant and spend some quality time with the nurse. They wouldn't have to kiss or anything just be able to hold hands. Silly, right?

The older Walker laughed at the look of frustration on her daughter's face. This was all still very new to her daughter Melissa knew. Finally having found someone that she wanted to spend possibly the rest of her life with the detective was a very impatient person. That was why her daughter had suggested that she pack her things up now so that they could get out of the hospital as soon as the release papers were signed. "She's in that meeting or might just be finishing up. Haven't really spoken to her since, well, since the day we got the note that you still won't tell even your own mother about."

"Like I said before I'm not even supposed to know what it says." Sam smiled at the thought of how both her best friend Susie and her partner had brought her a copy of everything. They were going above and beyond to help her get this solved but the feeling that it was already solved at least partially had the detective nervous. She knew that the case was about a man setup for rape and all the evidence had been mysteriously lost. The threatening note that was personal and not directed at Abby.

"Exactly. Just because you're a cop doesn't mean you get to have special treatment." Their eyes met and both women started to laugh. They both knew that since her 'accident' that the detective had received nothing but special treatment from both the hospital and the department. "Seriously though what makes the big bad tough detective special enough that she is the only one that gets to know just what is going on?" Melissa now had her arms crossed over her chest.

It was that 'tell me or you'll get spanked' look of the detective's mother. Funny because neither her mother nor her father ever laid a hand on the dark haired woman. Even though Sam had been the handful and in trouble one way or another since before she could walk they still just had loved her and not hurt her. She knew she had been very lucky growing up the way that she had. "I can't, Mother. I mean I don't know at least not for sure."

"Yet you suspect." Sam's gaze averted from her mother's. "Oh sweetie." Melissa sat on the edge of the bed. "I would not want to be you. You have such responsibilities and have to keep it all on the inside. You really do need to be able to confide things in someone." There was an evil little grin on her mother's face in an instant. "I could try and get a hold of Abby. She gave me her cell phone number. Perhaps that would make my strong and silent daughter feel better."

"It would." Sam began to pout just a little bit. "But even if you get her here I still cannot tell either one of you what is going on. There are leaks in the department and there are people trying to shut up the good cops. It's not a good time right now." The detective sighed heavily knowing she had probably already said too much. "I really miss home. I wonder if I could get my old job back in Middletown." Her voice had grown quiet. She had laid her head back and closed her eyes.

This was a side to the detective that not even her mother saw very often. It was the withdrawn and defeated side that was a rarity as the woman just never gave up. One of the few other times was when the Leslie Wilson situation just got too much for her and decided that a change was in order. The change had brought more than the detective could have bargained for. "Well I know a certain bed and breakfast owner that is always hiring."

The detective's eyes fluttered open and a huge grin was on the detective's face. "You've been trying to get me to push a broom around for years. It was bad enough having to do that when I was a teenager." That got a grin out of the innkeeper as well. The grin faded just a tad. "A large part of me wants to do just that. I miss the family. I especially miss Adam. I guess I didn't realize how lucky I was to have him at basically a fingertip away. Do you think he knows how much I love him?" Now there was a small tear in the corner of her eye.

Melissa reached over and wiped the solitary tear that had rolled down the detective's cheek. She took her hand in her own and squeezed it gently. "Your son knows that you love him more than anything in the world. Your niece and nephews are all jealous of Adam. They know that he is your favorite." That caused the detective to look away. This was one of the things that she was just not very proud of. "He's getting old enough that maybe you should tell him the truth."

Sam's head whipped up so that she could look her mother directly in the eye. This was something, in truth, that she had been thinking about since she had moved to New York. It was her biggest regret on leaving her hometown that she would miss out seeing her son grow up. Already he was playing little league and pee wee football was next on his agenda. She was surprised he wasn't going to try out for basketball which was her favorite sport growing up.

"I've been thinking about that since the day he was born." Sam tried to pull her hand out of her mother's grasp but the older Walker was stronger than she looked. Of course the detective knew that she was stronger both physically and emotionally than most people gave her credit for even her own children at times. "I've especially been thinking about it since I moved to New York. To be honest I just want to grab Abby and pack up both of what we have and find a small house and bring Adam there where we can be one big happy family."

Melissa was shocked, well not shocked but surprised to hear her daughter say that she already wanted to move in with Abby and Adam and make it one big happy family. While she never wanted to crush one of her children's dreams she had to put a stop to this and put a stop to it now. Gently she squeezed her daughter's hand. "Sweetheart, I need you to listen to me. You know I want you to be happy, right?" Sam looked at her mother not knowing exactly where she was going. "Aren't you moving a little fast?"

Sam pulled her hand out of her mother's gentle grasp. She sighed heavily. Deep down if she stopped to think about what she was saying and what she was doing she knew that her mother was right. What was it now? Less than a month since she had first met Abby? But it felt like she had known her a lifetime. She felt like they had always been together and that no matter what they would always find one another no matter what.

So to answer her mother, yes she was moving way too fast for conventional thinking. But the detective had never been a fan of conventional thinking. Being a lesbian to most was unconventional although to her it was as natural as breathing. Her unconventional ways of thinking helped her be one of the better detectives. Her unconventional thinking allowed for her brother to raise her son so that she could still be in his life at a distance.

Sighing heavily the detective closed her eyes and thought carefully about what she was saying. She wondered if Abby even sort of felt the same way that she did. There were complications. There were so many complications in their relationship and yet when they had kissed it just felt it should be there and always would be there. Would she wait for Abby? Oh there was no question that she would wait a lifetime if not a million for the beautiful nurse that had stolen her heart.

()()()()()()()()()()

Jenny Monroe sat behind her big desk in her study. She was reviewing a surveillance tape that one of her more trusted aides had taken of one Sierra Gregors. There had been something off about the young blond for the past few months that the mafia boss could not put her finger on. She had never gotten to know personally the younger woman but she knew her well enough to know that she was not acting the way that she was supposed to.

"So Elliot, you have recruited one of my top aides." Jenny laughed in a way that could make wallpaper peel as she watched the clandestine meeting. "I thought that she was being too sloppy for an IA officer. Looks like my suspicions were correct." The woman smiled evilly at the thought. She pushed a button and one of her many goons entered the room. "It seems we have a slight problem. We need to have a chat, of the not so nice kind, with Sierra Monroe. Have one our best men take care of her."

The man saluted and never said a word but shut the door behind him when he left. She took the tape and went to a large bookshelf in the corner. It took a moment but she found a secret button and the bookshelf swung easily away from the wall. The woman stepped into the room. Inside was a vault which she made her way over to. The vault was as high as the ceiling and about half the width of the wall and was set exactly into the middle of the wall.

Jenny pushed numbers, twelve of them and the vault door open up immediately. As far as could be seen were boxes that were labeled and dated. There were tapes and flash drives and any other way that multi-media can be stored inside the vault. There was a box with Sierra's name on it and the evil woman placed the latest incriminating evidence against her minion in the box. She then walked out and shut the vault and then put the bookshelf back into place.

The mafia leader went over to the sliding glass door and looked out enjoying the view as she always did. "At least I don't have to worry about my son anymore. My other contacts took care of that." She smiled and pulled out her cell phone, the burn phone non traceable kind of cell phone. There was another woman's voice on the other end of the line. "Just listen. While things have settled down it is a go for you to continue to plague Samantha Walker and her family including the nurse. She's too good left just running around undistracted." Listening for a moment she smiled. "I know it's personal. That's what makes it so exciting don't you think?"

Without waiting for an answer she hung the phone up and put it back in her pocket. There were a lot of people that she had come across over the years in various agencies but none, not scared her but worried her as much as the detective. There was just something that told the woman that they had battled before perhaps in another time and another place and that the detective had won every time. But that was silly. She didn't believe in that kind of thing. She only believed in winning. Winning anyway that she could.

()()()()()()()()()()()

Leslie Wilson tried to blend in as much as she could but her exotic features made her stand out even in the multicultural mecca that was New York City. Luckily for the woman the fall weather had geared up and her wearing a scarf around her head was not out of place as it would have been in the summer. The woman had followed the nurse back to the detective's apartment building and had managed to get in once again without the police seeing her.

It was strange how easily she seemed to be able to get in and out of any area that she wanted to no matter if there were police officers or not. She had stood outside the apartment the nurse had been looking at and had heard how she was going to take the place. It made her want to kill the nurse right then and there. She was literally throwing herself at the detective. The woman that she loved and was supposed to be with.

That would be the simple way of doing things though. To just get rid of the competition by shooting or stabbing her would be too easy and would not be half the fun. Plus she wanted to maybe perhaps console the detective when she lost the woman that she thought she loved. Drag it out long enough and Sam would be that much more devastated and would want a friendly shoulder to lean on. Once that happened then she could be that shoulder and worm her way back into the detective's life.

There was the other reason to take things slow. It was Jenny Monroe that had arranged for her entrance into the United States at first as a contact to the Chinese mafia. But now it was all about Samantha Walker. It was Ms. Monroe that had gotten her the job at the newspaper and how she was now a legal citizen of the US. That meant that the mafia woman owned her and for the rest of her life. She would have to take things slow and make the best of the way that her boss wanted her to do things. If in the end she ended up with Sam in the end it would all be worth it.

Now that she knew where Abby was living it was perfect. In fact she made her way to the elevator and pushed the button for the fifth floor. She went to the last apartment on the floor that was right above Sam's apartment. It was convenient how she had never been home when the police had come to question her. It was convenient how the previous tenant just happened to commit suicide and the place just happened to be available.

Even Leslie, which had a dark streak a mile long, shuddered at just how far Jenny Monroe was willing to go to keep her empire and her son intact. The oriental woman was not sure just how far she would go to keep Sam. Yes she did. She would go as far as the ends of the earth to get back what was hers. The psycho went to the window and opened it up to get some fresh air. It was time to put the second phase of her plan into play.

()()()()()()()()()

Abby had done the unthinkable. Well not the unthinkable exactly but she had done something that she had never done before. She had actually asked another nurse to trade her shifts so that she could have the day off. It was Saturday October the twentieth. Halloween, her favorite holiday, was only a few weeks away. The year seemed to be flying by faster than usual for her. Time just seemed to fly ever since she had met one Samantha Walker.

The petite blond had asked the other nurse to trade with her so that she could be there when the detective went home. It was stupid after just having gotten a verbal warning from the board of administration but she just couldn't help herself. She couldn't help being around the slightly older woman even though she was supposed to stay away from her because of both work and personal reasons. She rolled her eyes at herself as she pulled into the visitor's parking lot of the hospital.

The nurse just wanted to help get her patient settled in at home and make sure she was going to be all right before they got into a more familiar routine. Of course that routine for her would include some alone time but that was because they still somehow had to maintain their distance until the divorce was final. She had heard from her lawyer and was shocked that Kevin was no longer contesting it. That meant one month and twenty six days until her divorce was final.

Abby wasn't watching where she was going and ran right into a curly blond haired woman. "I am so sorry." The nurse helped the other woman pick up some things that had spilled out of a purse and a briefcase. She never really got a good look at the woman until they were both standing up and facing one another. There was something vaguely familiar about the woman especially something familiar about the other woman's eyes. "I wasn't paying attention."

"Abby?" The other woman asked tentatively. In reflex the nurse looked to see if she had her name badge on which was silly as it was now her day off. They looked at one another for a long time before the curly blond woman continued. "It really is you!" There was just the barest of hints of recognition on the straight haired blond woman's face. "You don't remember me do you?" There was a sad shaking of the head. "Well, it has been around twenty years since we've seen one another." When there was still no signs of recognition the woman continued. "I used to be a redhead."

At the final offer of a hint a light bulb went off in the petite blond's face and there was an instant blushing to the woman's face. Standing before her was the woman that had been her first in so many ways. Abby had never even kissed anyone before that fateful night so many years ago. What they had shared was so much more than just a first kiss. "Oh my God!" Not sure what to do or say she awkwardly hugged her former crush.

Amanda Kingston was in total shock. The hug had felt nice. The woman standing before her looked so much like the younger version that she would have known her anywhere. Of course it had been years and still somehow the woman looked almost the same. "You haven't changed a bit." She looked around obviously trying to see if she was with anyone. "What are you doing here if I might ask? I myself was just visiting my mother."

"I work here." Abby said without even thinking. That was not the reason she was here though now was it. Should she explain that she was here to pick up her girlfriend and her girlfriend's mother? What about Kevin? This was one of those things that could turn into a very long explanation. "I'm a nurse but I'm actually here to pick up a friend and take her home. Sorry to hear about your mother." She looked her first crush up and down. "You look amazing. Like the blond look."

That caused the other blond to laugh. "I was a little rebellious back then. You were lucky you caught me with red hair. At one time I had a bluish purplish look going. Now that was something else." That caused the nurse to laugh as well. "My mom is just having something routine done. They just took her in for surgery and I decided to go get something to eat. It's too bad that you have somewhere to be. I'd ask you to join me so we could catch up. That is if you'd like that. Um, you never answered my letters."

And there was that long explanation that not only went along with her current situation but also her situation in the past. "I'd love to get coffee or go to lunch sometime. There is a lot we could talk about. Like how my parents were not thrilled with the fact that I had a lesbian experience. I believe they hid your letters. I did write you." Her thoughts were going to Sam who by now had to be wondering exactly where she was.

"That sounds like my parents." Amanda smiled sadly. "Sounds like my parents back then." She corrected herself. Her smile grew as she thought of her parents now. "But they really accept the fact that I'm a lesbian now. My last partner and I were together for five years before the harsh breakup. Until then my parents treated her like a member of the family." She shrugged. "You're right. We do have a lot to catch up on and the middle of a parking lot when you are needed is not the place." She pulled out a business card. "Here's all my numbers. Once you are available give me a call." She winked at the nurse.

The wink made Abby blush a little and made her feel a little uncomfortable. Still there was something that drew her to the woman. Oh not like she was drawn to Sam in the least. That was a connection that there was no explanation for. This was something that felt like an old friendship that had almost been more but in the end they had been the best of friends and supported each other through the harshest of times. "I'll do that."

Abby watched the woman walk away. She could not help but wonder what the woman now did for a living. It was obvious that she was confident and intelligent and overall a nice person. The nurse shook her head and started off at almost a run to get to the woman that was actually drawing her almost like a magnet. It didn't take long to get to the proper floor and the proper room. Sam was dressed but was still sitting on the bed her leg elevated and was in a walking boot.

Sam's eyes lit up when she saw the nurse. Both of their first instincts were to embrace and share a kiss but both knew better than to do that until they were safely away from the hospital. Still there was no hiding the way that the detective felt about the blond nurse. The love she felt was literally written all over her face. "I thought that maybe you forgot about me or had a better offer." Somehow the dark haired woman managed to get a pout onto her face.

The petite blond made her way over to the dark haired one whose legs were slightly apart. Abby stood between them and looked deep into blue eyes that instantly had the look of love and lust in them. It excited the nurse to see both of those emotions on the other woman's face and she had a similar look in her own blazing green eyes. "You are the best offer I could ever get." The urge to kiss the detective was so strong that it was nearly impossible for her to resist. "Although I did run into someone from my long ago past in the parking lot."

That got a single eyebrow raised. "You aren't that old. It can't be that long of a past unless it was your long lost twin that got switched at birth or something." That got a laugh out of the petite blond who seemed to be leaning in just a bit closer every second. _Think unsexy thoughts. Think unsexy thoughts. Oh God I can smell her perfume! I can smell more than just her perfume. Oh I am so in trouble!_ "You'll have to tell me about that later. Right now I just want out of here."

There was a clearing of the throat and a blond head and a dark haired one turned to see Melissa standing there with her arms across her chest. She had a stern look on her face but inside she was enjoying seeing the look of love that was radiating off both women. Though it was her daughter and hard to think this way she could actually feel the heat coming from the two of them. "I wouldn't mind leaving either."

That caused Abby to back away just a little and yet she somehow still managed to keep her hand on the long sweat pant covered leg of the detective. The detective in turn kept her arm somehow brushing against the nurse's arm. It was all innocent, wasn't it? "Sorry, Melissa. I, um, didn't see you standing there. Of course I'm glad that we'll all be getting out of here. I have a surprise for both of you." She had a mischievous smile upon her face.

"Oh really?" Sam's husky voice caused Abby to turn her attention back to the detective. Their eyes locked and they once again got lost in one another. It took the door to the room opening before they reluctantly broke their gaze. The nurse backed off even more when she realized it was one of the other nurses that had come to fetch the detective. "About time. I've already signed my life away. It's time to get out of this place, no offense."

The nurse just smiled and rolled the wheel chair over to the bed. When Sam was about to protest a gentle hand was upon her shoulder. She looked down into green eyes and all protests seemed to just whisper away before they could even leave her lips. Abby took the crutches that the nurse had also brought in and leaned them against her noticing they were almost as tall as she was. A little embarrassed but she nor anyone else said anything.

The elevator ride was a silent one but eyes were on the pair as Abby kept one hand on the shoulder of the detective. Melissa wondered if the petite blond even knew that she was doing it. It was looking more and more like it was some kind of involuntary thing at the moment. The innkeeper could not help but think just how natural the two women looked together and hoped that everything was going to just go away so that they could get on with their lives.

Abby pulled the car around to the patient pickup area and gathered the detective and her mother. They drove the few blocks to Sam's apartment. It was a little comical watching the tall gangly detective attempting to use the crutches but after a bit she got the used to it. Again it only took a little while for the trio to make their way up to the third floor and where Sam's apartment awaited. However the nurse had other plans. "Follow me, please." Both women looked at her a little suspiciously but followed willingly.

Both women were more than surprised when the nurse took out a key to the apartment at the far end of the hallway and opened the door. The detective hobbled in followed by her mother. There was a banner saying 'welcome home Sam' hung across from one window to the next. There was a wonderful smelling meal cooking in the oven and the small kitchen table was set for three. Sam finally recovered her voice as she hobbled over to the couch and sat down. "Abby, um, what have you done?"

Abby smiled at both women her were definitely shocked to say the least. "Well, I decided it was time that I got out of your hair. I mean your apartment is small and cramped and I'd just be a third wheel. Besides it was time that I was on my own if only for a little while. I signed a six months lease." There was still a little bit of unease of the two women. "Look it'll be easier for the protection detail. I'll be here. You'll be down there. Or here. Whichever."

Sam suddenly felt overwhelmed but in a good way. It was something she wanted badly to be with Abby and this was almost what she envisioned. That's not true. She envisioned them in a place together preferably in her small hometown but if they were together anywhere that would be perfect. "I don't know what to say except that I like the idea. Very much." Melissa watched as the two once again seemed to be transported into another world.

They were all broken out of the moment when the smell of smoke caught their attention. Abby was the first to move. She went to the kitchen where dinner was still safely cooking away. Melissa was the first out the door as she was the closest. There was smoke billowing out from underneath Sam's apartment door. "Sam! Call 911!" The older woman called. There was so much smoke that it was choking the nurse and the innkeeper.


	11. Chapter 11

The firemen had come and gone. It, as it turned out, was a waste of their time for the most part. Someone had broken into Sam's apartment. Most likely they had gotten in through the bedroom window which led to the fire escape. The window was one of the older windows that a simple credit card could be used to unlock the window. Inside everything was a smoke covered mess as someone had set a fire that would not spread but be potent with thick black smoke.

There was an investigation going but the detective knew that nothing would come of it. This had the smell of something rotten and not just the leftover smoky smell. It had the nasty rat dropping smell of someone in organized crime. After all that they had been through since the 'accident' it all made sense. But which one? There were a few small time organizations and one or two big ones. How was it that she had gotten involved with one of these 'families'?

Abby and Melissa were going through the apartment just to make sure there was no real damage except needing an airing out and some new paint and cleaning of some items. Of course they were going through things to make sure nothing was missing and the nurse was at a slight disadvantage. She'd only been in the apartment for a couple days and only somewhat had familiarized herself with the contents. But there was one thing even to her untrained eye that stood out.

Sam was leaning against the door frame of the entrance to the apartment. She had done a quick scan but with having to use the crutches it was making it hard to maneuver. When she noticed the nurse's body language she knew that something was not right so she made her way over to where the nurse stood. The television still worked so she wondered what it was that Abby was looking at. Or was it that she wasn't looking at something?

"Oh Sam!" Abby wasn't sure just how the boy and the detective were connected but she knew that it had been a special picture if only because its prominent display in the room. "Your picture is missing!" The nurse remembered what the inscription on the back of the picture had said. 'My Adam at age 8'. That had to mean that the boy was simply more to her than just friend of the family. This boy was connected to the detective somehow. The nurse only hoped that one day Sam would trust her with that knowledge.

The detective straightened and managed to wobble over to where the nurse was standing. Sure enough her latest picture of her son was MIA. Her first thought was to question Abby on how she knew it was there but thought better of it for the moment. More importantly was to find it. All three women searched the apartment and could not even find the silver frame that it had been in. That set the detective's gut screaming at her. "I think this is all connected. The fire. The accident. Now taking the picture. Someone is out to get me and I only have a vague ideal why."

Melissa's voice rang out across the room. "Could it be…" She was cut off by the look that her mother shot her. "Look, Abby is part of the family as far as I'm concerned whether you two actually get it together or not. To me that means that what affects you affects her so please tell us, your family, what is going on." The look that the innkeeper was giving her daughter was one that almost anyone could not resist. It was part pleading and part 'tell or else' that only a mother can give.

Sighing Sam knew that for her mother and her girlfriend's safety she better start telling them at least part of the truth. How much to tell was still debatable but she'd play it by ear. Looking around the room she cringed at just how much smoke damage had been done. There was no way she could stay there. It looked like she and her mother were headed to a hotel room for a little while. "Mother, pack up all my clothes and your things. We'll find a hotel and stay there till this place is livable again."

Melissa was about to protest when a soft voice spoke out. "You don't have to do that, Sam." Two sets of almost identical colored eyes were looking at the petite blond. "I mean I do have two rooms. The couch is like yours a pullout. We all three can live comfortably at least for a week or so." There was a meek smile upon her face. She knew that the detective had strong feelings for her and knew that she hated to not to be the one in control.

Sam blinked a couple of times. This was her dream of sorts now wasn't it? For the past almost month she had been fantasizing about starting a life with the nurse. Of course she had dreamt of much better circumstances but this could be the start of something. How could she refuse an offer like that? Because the nurse was still married. It was one thing to live in the same apartment building on the same floor but in the same apartment even for a week? "Um, what about your divorce. I don't want it impeded."

Abby smiled for the first time since the smoke had been detected. Even after finding out that it had basically been a smoke fire it still gave her the chills to think that someone had broken into the detective's apartment and had taken something personal. But that was what the pros were good at no matter how good the security was. The nurse had found that out at Emily's apartment. "I forgot to tell you in the excitement of you being released. Kevin isn't contesting the divorce. It worries me and yet it thrills me at the same time."

That was another piece in the puzzle as far as Sam was concerned. She had always suspected deep down that something was not right with her girlfriend's not soon enough ex-husband. Who would go from being so possessive that he threatened bodily harm, most likely was the one that smashed her windshield to a guy that simply just gave in to a divorce. That made no sense to the dark haired woman. That just added to the mystery that was far from being solved.

"I'll admit it worries me too." The detective and the nurse were only a little ways apart. The dark haired woman motioned for the petite blond to close the gap which she gladly did. "But it also thrills me too. It looks like, if my estimation is correct, we are going to have one happy Christmas to celebrate." Sam leaned against the wall also leaning one of her crutches there. Not even thinking that her mother was across the room watching every move the two made the detective pulled the nurse into first a hug. But that wasn't good enough for either of them and soon their lips were meeting and the passion exploded between them.

The kiss lasted so long that Melissa honestly thought that the two women were going to pass out from lack of oxygen. It took her clearing her throat several times before the two broke apart. Abby was of course the color of a stop sign while Sam somehow managed only a slight blush. The nurse buried her head in the detective's chest and the free arm of Sam wrapped protectively around the shorter woman. "That was some kiss you two. I'd say that if the smoke detectors weren't already busted you would have set them off again. Now why don't you two go back to Abby's? I'll get the stuff packed and go down and start some loads of laundry. Go and check on that wonderful dinner before it burns."

"Oh my gosh!" Abby looked up at Sam who nudged her to get a head start. "I forgot all about it in the chaos." She glanced at her watch and sighed. "It should be all right. I'll go check on it. See you soon." The nurse could not help herself. She got up on her tiptoes and once again captured the slightly older woman's lips. It didn't last all that long but it was still enough to curl her toes. In a whisper that she was certain that Melissa could not hear she said, "We can practice that more later." Slowly she pushed off from the taller woman who had a surprised look on her face. The nurse winked and made her way out the door.

Sam was a bit surprised by the last kiss and the wink but tried to recover only to see her mother smirking at her. "What?" Melissa shrugged her shoulders and started into the bedroom. _Am I this lucky for once in my life? Not that I didn't have a good family that loved me when I was younger. But ever since Dad passed away it always seemed like something was going on. Mom almost lost the B&B, Leslie happened, then I was raped and had a child and then the move here has produced more negative things._

_But now look at me?_ She slowly pushed off the wall hating that her mother was going to make the several treks to the basement to wash all their clothes and then bring their personal items as well. How she hated being of no use to the people that she loved. _I'm with a wonderful woman. I have a family that cares. I have my mind that still works so I am not completely hapless. Oh I can't wait till Christmas this year. I believe a trip home with a certain blond at my side is in order._

When Sam got to Abby's new apartment the nurse was taking out the roast from the oven. It was covered still but the smell was making her mouth water. Of course just seeing the petite blond was making her mouth water. That kiss had been mind blowing to say the least. It made her want to forget that the divorce was not final. It made her want to forget that her mother would soon be joining them for dinner. All she wanted to do was to explore the rest of the apartment and initiate every single room and make it their own.

Pushing those thoughts deeper into the back of her mind yet trying to keep them within reach but also push them far enough away so that she could cherish them as well. "Don't you look all domestic." It was true. The nurse had an apron tied around her waist and she was standing at the stove stirring the contents of the casserole dish. If Sam had not been on crutches she would have been over to the nurse in less than a heartbeat and she would have wrapped her arms around her from behind.

Sweet kisses would have been placed on the top of her head and on the back of her neck. Oh she knew very well where all of this would have led. They would have been eating a cold dinner but felt that neither of them would have minded in the least. _Man I'm so attracted to her I just can't stop thinking about making lover to her. It's not just the physical attraction. It's the fact that I do love her. That's what's making this so difficult to deny._

Abby looked at her with one eyebrow rose having paused in what she was doing. "Domestic?" The nurse laughed. Kevin would never have called her that. Her parents certainly wouldn't call her that. Though she was a pretty decent cook she hated doing it for anyone that really didn't care. Though she knew her parents in their own way loved her she knew that her husband never really did. But to be cooking for someone that she knew cared for her even though they had not expressed in words their feelings that were different. Hell Melissa had called her family so that told her all she needed to know about how the innkeeper felt. "I don't think I've ever been accused of that."

"Well you have been now." Sam looked her up and down appreciatively. She was dressed in kaki dress pants and a nice plain red button shirt. The apron was one of those cheesy ones that said 'kiss the chef' and was making her want to do so. Her hair was pulled back into a tiny French braid and she wondered with the shoulder length hair how she had managed that. The nurse wore little to no makeup and yet she was more beautiful than the detective could put words to. "It looks good on you. Of course I think you'd look good in just about anything."

There was another slight blushing from the nurse and Sam could not help but think just how cute she was when she had that nice shade of rose to her delicate skin. Wanting nothing more than to go over and hug and kiss the woman she sighed and made her way to the single lounge chair. Her leg was a bit achy so she decided to put both her legs up. As soon as she had the kickstand up she was greeted by the petite blond kneeling beside the chair and taking the slightly older woman's hands in her own. One look and she just knew that the nurse knew she was in pain.

"Where is your prescriptions that they gave you?" Sam started to protest when Abby hushed her with a delicate kiss. "I've been a nurse long enough to tell when even the strongest of patients is in pain. You are the strongest and most tolerable of pain I've ever been around but I still can tell young lady. Now don't make me ask again." The green eyes bore into the blue ones and Sam felt like she was on fire from the inside out with the look of such dogged concern on the smaller woman's face.

The look had caused Sam to swallow several times knowing in an instant she was defeated. It was odd. No one had ever affected her like this. No one had ever had her wrapped around their little pinky. Well there was one exception to that. That would be her son. That was for totally different reasons of course. But this woman that was so quickly becoming the only reason for her to live and breathe had done the impossible. She had the detective's number and knew how to dial it. "Mom has them in her purse."

"Fine. It'll wait until Melissa gets back but I'm warning you right now." Abby stood up and put her hand on her girlfriend's shoulder. "I'm telling you right now that you are going to take that pain pill. You are going to tell us what your theory is." She started back toward the kitchen Sam hypnotized by the delicate sway of the nurses hips. As she got the kitchen she turned around to pin Sam with her green eyes once again. "I'd also like to know about Adam. But I'm not going to push it. That one will wait until you are ready." There was a wink from the nurse and she returned her attention back to the dinner she had made.

Truly honestly Sam had never met anyone like Abby. The more time that she spent with her she noticed the contradictions about the young woman. One moment she was strong as an ox and the next she was as weak as a kitten. In one breath she was so sure of herself and in another she was so hard on herself it made every fiber of the detective's being hurt. The nurse made you want to protect her and at the same time made you want to be protected by her.

It was enough to confuse Sam but in a very good way. She could not help but wonder just how Abby saw her. Probably partly that was as the big bad tough detective. But what about as a person? What was it that was attracting this woman that had been with a man before? Not that there was anything wrong with either realizing later in life that you were a lesbian or possibly being bi but what was the attraction? The detective was not vane but knew that she was attractive physically. But there was more than a physical attraction. What was it that drew these two almost polar opposites together?

As the detective watched the nurse it occurred to whether it mattered at all? They were both working class people. They were also servants to the public. Though Sam knew little about Abby's background which she planned on rectifying soon it just didn't seem like they were all that different. _So different but not different I kinda like that._ The tall dark haired woman watched as Abby set the table and got dinner dished up for all three of them.

That was when Melissa decided it was time to return. She knocked on the door and Abby happily made her way over to let the older woman in. "I've got our toothbrushes and the like. Do you want me to put them in the second room?" Abby thought about the question for a long time. She had not really thought about the sleeping arrangements wanting nothing more than to sleep with Sam. The innkeeper seemed to realize how troubled the younger woman was. "If you two want to share a room I'll understand."

"Mother!" Sam's voice echoed throughout the entire room. There was a slight hurt look upon the petite blond's face. "I didn't mean that like it sounded, Abby. I mean um well." Now the detective was flustered. She was more flustered than she had ever been in her life. Not even the first time that she had been intimate with a woman had she been this flustered. The things that the nurse did to her and with just one look. It was something that she was not used to. But in a way getting to enjoy it.

"I know what you meant, I think." Abby turned to her girlfriend's mother. "Before she inserts foot in mouth more she needs a pain pill to have the ability to do it. You have them in your purse?" Melissa nodded and instead of setting things in the bathroom she simply laid them on the coffee table. She pulled out the several pill bottles and put them on the stand next to which her daughter sat. The nurse went over and looked at each bottle. "You missed taking the antibiotic. Should have had it an hour ago."

Before the nurse could say anything the innkeeper had taken off into the kitchen. She found plastic cups and a two liter of soda. She poured each woman a glass. First she set the two at the table noticing that it was only set for two. Abby handed her the correct pills and crossed back into the kitchen. Melissa made her way over to her grumpy looking daughter. Her voice was a bare whisper that she knew her daughter could hear. "She just said she loves you. In her caring way. And she wants to share that bedroom almost more than you do. So go easy on her, Sprout."

"Sprout?!" Sam's raised voice got the nurse's attention. She had been arranging something on a tray when she had heard the nickname of her girlfriend. Without being able to control herself she burst out laughing. "Oh like you don't have some embarrassing nickname from your childhood that your mother calls you." Abby managed to get her laughter down to a snort of a chuckle here and there. She knew it was true and didn't want to further hurt the detective's feelings. "I'm in pain and I'm being made fun of."

That brought the serious side out in the nurse. She had the tray in her hand and made her way to the recliner. Melissa stepped out of the way so that she could set the tray full of food on the detective's lap. "You can start to, Melissa. I'll join you in just a minute." The older woman made her way to the small kitchen table where two plates were waiting. Wanting to see what was going on between the two but also wanting to give Abby the chair with the vision of her daughter she sat so that her back was to the pair. "Now, just relax and let me see if I can't work my magic."

Sam was about to object when the Velcro straps of the boot on her leg were removed. The boot was gently removed from the leg. It was an angry looking leg. There were still stitches and bruises upon bruises. Luckily there didn't appear to be any swelling so infection was not likely. Most likely the pain was from the fact that the detective had been standing for a great deal of the day so far and neither leg was used to having blood rushed to them like that.

Abby rubbed her hands together to make sure that her touch would be warm. Slowly she rubbed with her fingertips up and down the detective's legs. She paid careful attention to the injured leg carefully wiggling each toe and actually getting a small chuckle out of the taller woman. The nurse made a mental note of where exactly her patient's tickle spots were for future use. Sam had her head leaned back and was thoroughly enjoying the massage that the petite woman was giving her. The pain seemed to melt away at her touch.

"You, Ms. Jones, are a very good nurse." Sam's voice was almost husky with desire. Not that either younger woman could see it but there was a smirk on Melissa's face. The older woman noticed how it seemed that when the two touched in any way it seemed that the world just went away. "I almost wished I'd gotten hurt sooner just so you could take care of me." Her head came back up and her blue eyes were captured by green ones. It was a look that she knew well. It was a look she was sure that she was returning the petite blond.

Those green eyes kept their intense gaze for just a few moments longer before she broke the spell. Carefully she put the boot cast back on the tall leg. "I thank you for the compliment but I never want you to get hurt. Ever again and if there is anything I can do to prevent you getting hurt I'll do it." Once again her lips gently brushed against the blue eyed woman's. "And you can count on that Ms. Walker." The nurse smiled when she felt Sam's breath catch. "Now time for dinner. You eat."

Sam watched the sway of her hips as Abby made her way to the table. She picked up her glass of soda and inhaled half of it. Just watching the way that her girlfriend walked made her mouth go dry. It was amazing how the littlest of things about the nurse affected her. Once again she was glad that it was all happening like this. It was if nothing else magical to the slightly older woman. Reluctantly tearing her eyes off from the petite blond she dove into the wonderful smelling food.

They ate in silence for the most part. Sam had to admit that she hadn't had this good of a dinner since the last time she was home and ate her mother's cooking. She wondered what her mother was thinking about the cuisine. As if on cue her mother said, "Wow Abby! I think you've missed your calling. Not that you don't have a great bedside manner but this is terrific. I'd hire you to cook for me anytime." Melissa took the last bite of the garlic roasted red potatoes and actually licked her fork.

"Just to let you know, Abby that says something." Blue eyes caught the questioning look in her girlfriend's green ones. "Mom doesn't just let anyone cook. They have to pass a lot of stringent tests. You passed without having to take one. I'm proud of you…" The words startled both women. It was almost akin to 'I love you' but not quite. Still they held a lot of emotion behind them. That much was evident when the nurse blushed ever so softly.

The warmth on her cheeks told the nurse she was blushing yet again. It seemed like she was doing that quite a bit the past few weeks. Partly it was because she had not been complimented like she had the past few weeks in the entire time she had been married to Kevin. Even her parents were, not harsh but they were strict with her while growing up. Hence that was why they had put a stop quickly to the fact that their daughter just might be a lesbian.

"Well I'll take it as the greatest compliment then." Abby stood and began to gather up the dishes. Melissa stood as well gathering the ones from her daughter. Once the older lady had gotten to the kitchen the nurse shooed her out. "I'll take care of everything. You can sit down and relax. I believe that Sam has something that she was supposed to share with us." The petite blond turned around and rinsed off each of the dishes before she put them in the dishwasher putting soap in and starting the cycle. As she got to the couch taking the seat closest to Sam which Melissa had so kindly left for her she said, "See. All done."

Two sets of eyes turned toward the tall detective. She took a deep breath. Really she should have called her captain and her partner to let them know what had happened to her apartment but she figured that she had enough time for that later. Right now two people that she loved very much deserved an explanation. "Abby I once told you that there was something I did that I was not proud of. Well there was a girl that was my first real love and not crush back in high school. She was a foreign exchange student."

As if pulled in already Sam noticed that Abby was leaning forward. The nurse was definitely hanging on every word that she was saying. These were the kinds of things they needed to do to really establish a relationship and not just this lustful connection they seemed to have. "You see I tried to stay in touch with her but somehow we grew apart after she went back to China. I don't think her family was too thrilled when they found out about me. Not many are thrilled when their kids come to them and tell them that they are gay."

Abby sat back a little at the thought. She had yet to have the little talk with her parents. Oh she had e-mailed her mom about the impending divorce but that was it. The reminder of running into Amanda after all these years of how poorly they reacted when she was younger made her wonder how they would react to her relationship with Sam. Now that they were no longer nurse/patient and living together there was definitely a relationship.

Sam noticed the shift. She figured it might have to do with the fact that Abby probably hadn't had a chance or didn't want to tell her parents of their budding romance. It was never easy for a parent to hear the words 'I'm gay' but the later in life the harder it was to accept for some reason. The detective filed that fact away for later study. "Her name is Leslie Walker. And she's the reason that I moved to New York just over a year ago."

The detective watched the numerous emotions that played out across the nurse's face. She could swear that one of them was jealousy and she could not blame her there. There was also a bit of anger. "Let's just say she wouldn't take 'hell no' for an answer." Sam paused as her mother snorted. "Mother and her got into it a little once she started stalking me. She um…" This was always the hardest part for the detective reliving that day. "We as in my entire family which include a niece and th...four nephews were on a picnic. She brought a gun."

"Oh no!" It was a stupid thing to say but it was the only words that Abby's mind could come up with as it absorbed this information. Sam was an admitted lady's lady. Had she done anything to lead the young woman on? From the way that Melissa had snorted she would have guessed that was not the truth. Still it was an odd thing to think that a girl would hold a crush from her high school years up to her adulthood and worse she would do such a violent thing in front of kids.

Plus there was that little stutter that Sam had made. Had she been going to say 'three' instead of 'four'? That was quite a slip and for the usual sure detective the nurse wondered if it was more just about her wanting to share everything in her life. After all there was something that brought her back to that article in the newspaper. The time frame for the young boy named Adam would be about right but that was something surely her girlfriend would share with her, right?

No. That was something that was painful and personal. Even as they were getting closer she knew that they were still worlds apart in knowing one another. This thing they had together was love at first sight which was a wonderful feeling but it also left it open to not knowing a whole lot about the other person. Her head was slowly aching and really just wanted to go and take an afternoon nap. But there was still more to tell. Abby could see it in those blue eyes.

"I can't be sure but I thought I saw her when I first moved here." Sam was beginning to rub her temples. All the stress of reliving her past and the discomfort that she was still in were starting to get to her. But Melissa and Abby deserved this truth. They were in her life and they needed to be protected and sometimes knowledge was the way to protect oneself. "So maybe it's her and she's still causing me trouble. But…"

Melissa had been quiet this whole time but figured it was time to lighten the mood at least a little bit anyways. It was what she was good at and that was a good thing. "How come there is always a but?" Both younger woman turned and looked at her. "I mean it. Whenever it seems like there could be simple easy explanation for something there always has to be a but. Don't give me that look you two. You know it. You may not want to admit it. But you do know it."

That garnered a little chuckle out of the two younger women. It was true if they admitted it to themselves. Things were and could be simple and yet somehow the other shoe fell. And that right there meant that there was a but. "Well this but is unfortunately a doozy. If my instincts are correct and usually they are, there is a mob/mafia connection." She watched as a bit of horror and shock went across the other two women's faces. "That's why I've kept the police protection. If it is Leslie that'll be difficult to deal with. But if this is one of the big families in New York? Forget about it."

Sam's attempt at humor was appreciated but it really did nothing to settle either woman down. They both had seen enough television and movies to know that dealing with the mob was something not even the experts could do very easily. What did a nurse and a bed and breakfast owner know about dealing with those kinds of threats? All three sat there quietly for the longest time before Melissa glanced at the clock. "Well, I'm going to get the clothes in the dryer. I think you two need some alone time."

There was a tone and a look given by Melissa to her daughter. Abby saw and heard it but was not sure what to make of it. Was there more to the story than an obsessed ex? Was there more to the story about the mafia family? The nurse was realizing just how boring and normal her life was before she had met the detective. Oh sure there had been some interesting patients in her time, a celebrity or two. There was on the rare occasion when she had to testify at a rape trial. That was usually left to the doctors.

Two sets of eyes watched as Melissa made herself scarce once again. Abby immediately got up and made her way next to the recliner. She kneeled down and looked at the dark haired beauty mesmerized for a moment before she could speak. Taking the detective's hands in her own she held on tight as she took a deep breath. "You know a little while ago I would have told someone they were insane if they told me I'd be holding hands with my girlfriend."

That got a sharp intake of breath from the taller woman. It was the first time that either of them had officially said that they were together romantically. Green eyes refused to meet blue ones afraid that she would not be able to continue with what she had to say. "To tell you the truth I almost feel like I'm crazy right now. I mean there I was just living my life. Albeit it was not the happiest of lives but still there I was minding my own business when this dark haired beautiful woman is wheeled into my ER."

That got a squeeze of her hands. It was almost as if Sam could sense that she needed just that little bit of support. It was interesting how Abby only sorta felt that sensation that went from one woman to another when there was any skin touching. Oh it was still there but it was almost like they became used to it as if it was just part of them as a couple. "Now I find myself in this whirlwind of a life. In three weeks I was threatened by my husband, I had a violent act occur, I've had a threatening note that I still don't know what said and finally the apartment I had been staying at was set on fire."

Finally Abby was able to find it in her to look into those blue eyes. "I think that pretty much sums up our relationship so far. There were the nice times when we were able just to be with one another and a few times when we were able to talk and get to know one another. Those are my favorite times especially when I fell asleep next to you. Now that was a way I want to get used to waking up to. I know I said that I wanted to wait until the divorce is final but I'm not so sure anymore."

Sam's head was spinning. Abby had done a one eighty as far as she could tell. She had said all the negatives that were part of their relationship only to turn around and end up asking her to what? Was she asking her to take that final step in their relationship? They had kissed a few times now and quite passionately. And waking up next to the nurse was the most amazing feeling she had ever had. Oh how she had wished for them to make love. But is that really what she was asking for?

The detective kept a steady gaze into green eyes that could melt her heart just by a look. Sam licked her lips suddenly not sure if she would be able to speak or not. This really was mind blowing. How could one person understand and deal with so much negativity. She knew that they were meant to be and would one day consummate their relationship. But now? "Um, are you asking me to do what I think you're asking me?"

Abby chuckled softly. The way that Sam had asked that question was so adorable. This from a woman that had her share of lovers in the past at least from what she had gathered. Perhaps that had been exaggerated a bit but still she of all people you would think they'd know when they were being propositioned. "It won't be easy with your mother around but yes I would like to take our relationship to the next level. I'm sorry if this is too forward or if this is not what you want but I know how I feel and waiting a couple months is not going to change that."

Still Sam was having trouble keeping her mouth moistened enough so that she could speak. In fact she had to clear her throat several times to allow for speech to come out of her mouth. "Oh I want that more than anything. But I also want to respect you and what you thought you had with Kevin. I know it's over but wasn't there a time when you two shared something?" A soft shake indicating the negative surprised the detective a little. "Not even before you got married?"

The nurse sat down causing Sam to have to lean forward a bit to maintain the holding of hands. She was now looking down at the nurse. Abby had this look of loss on her face as she started to speak. "Oh when he was wining and dining me there at least seemed something there. But the minute I said 'I do' I wished I had said 'I don't'. I was just a housewife that worked. He even tried to get me to quit work. After a while being at the hospital was my great escape. So to answer your question no there was nothing ever special between Kevin and I. Though I know it's different…"

Sam removed one of her hands gently from the one that was holding it tightly and stroked gently a cheek. This was one of the things that she worried the nurse would fear about starting a relationship with her. The question had sorta been asked before but that was before anything 'real' could happen. Now they were on that doorstep. Oh the relationship had already grown wings. What had the petite blond worried now was what if the detective used those wings to fly away after a little while or worse would stop treating her with respect and love and start treating her as her husband had.

"There are no guarantees in life. I would love to promise that this amazing connection and feeling I have for you will stay forever." Sam traced the outline of the nurse's lips reveling in the feel of the soft warmness she felt there. "I can't even promise that I won't hurt you though I do promise to never intentionally hurt you." A single tear ran down Abby's cheek only to be quickly wiped away by the detective. "I may have had a lot of short term relationships but I never treated any of them as if they were nothing. I always tried to treat them with respect."

"Ok. I accept that." Abby smiled and a little bit of the stress and fear that suddenly had churned in her guts faded just a bit. Was it brought up by her bold request? Though she had thought she was ready perhaps she was pushing it too fast. Perhaps it was moving a bit fast. It was just that she wanted to know this woman in every imaginable way including the physical sense. "I appreciate your promises and I promise you the same thing."

There was a knock on the door and Abby thought that maybe Melissa had finished with the laundry. Slowly she stood and stretched after having knelt and then sat on the floor a little too long. Gently she kissed Sam on the lips before she went to the door. Moving the little metal door that was over the little window to the hallway she was surprised to see a pair of familiar blue eyes looking back at her though they were out of a male figure.

"Does your brother have blue eyes like you?" Sam tilted her head in question. "There's someone out there that has your blue eyes though he has wavy sandy blond hair." There was a pounding on the door and a small voice calling out 'Aunt Sam'. Abby knew that it had to be one of the detective's brothers and his family. She opened the door and took in five figures standing in the hallway. One was a skinny blond woman that was even shorter than the nurse. One was the male with the wavy sandy blond hair that was only slightly taller than she was. Then there were three boys. One caught her attention. The boy had Sam's eyes. It wasn't like her brother that was similar. This boy had her eyes. "Come on in. I take it you are looking for this crazy lady."

Abby watched as the young boy with Sam's eyes launched himself at her girlfriend. There was a slight wincing from the pain of the jarring motion. "Hey Adam!" Sam was surprised to see her 'nephew' along with the rest of the family. Her eyes met with her girlfriend's for a moment and the look in her eyes told her almost everything she needed to know. _I can't believe one look at him and she knows. It's not that she suspects she knows. What am I going to do? Correction what are we going to do after all this is a relationship. It goes fifty fifty from now on._

The nurse was speechless. With just one look from Sam and she knew exactly what was going on. At least she thought that she knew what was going on. Her girlfriend had a son. That was pretty much confirmed by two things other than the look on the detective's face. One was the inscription on the back of the picture. Second was the fact that whoever, most likely Leslie, had taken the picture knowing just what it meant to Sam? _So, what are we going to do?_


	12. Chapter 12

Twelve hours into her double shift and Abby was almost regretting giving up her day shift the previous day and adding this afternoon shift all to welcome Sam home. It had been a tiring day and that added to her current stress levels. She was exhausted and just wanted to go home and curl up on the couch perhaps soaking her aching feet in some hot water. Of course she knew that if she wanted it and asked for it that her girlfriend would be happy to oblige her with a foot rub though they had just now moved in with one another albeit temporarily.

Even with Sam still recovering from her own injuries the detective would be more than happy to help her through the nurse's minor aches and pains. Of course her girlfriend was a little busy at the moment. Her three 'nephews' were visiting. It made her small apartment seem overly full. The petite blond could not even imagine just how full the tall dark haired woman's apartment would be with five extra people. It was almost like it was meant to be somehow that they moved in together, at least temporarily, when they had.

The initial meeting with the young boy that was so obviously Sam's son had gone well and that pleased the nurse. If things kept going the way that they were then she would be in the young boy's life quite a bit. Part of her wanted to quit her job and move to the smaller town of Middletown but part of her also thought that it would be considered running away. That was something that neither she nor Sam would ever consider doing.

Abby sat in the cafeteria. She had just texted Sam about how much she missed her and to tell her that she would try not to wake her when she got home. Of course a second text was sent lovingly reminding her of taking her pills. That got a mock reply of nagging quickly followed up by how much she also was being missed and the thought of them being together warmed both of their hearts. It was wonderful to have found someone that not only you were in love with but also got along with so well.

The nurse was about to write another text when a now familiar voice rang in her ears. She looked up to see her first time lover standing smiling at her. "Hey, Amanda! Are you here to pick up your mother?" The nurse took a sip of her coffee. At the moment she needed all the caffeine that she could consume just to get through the rest of the day. It had been forever since she had pulled a double shift and that had been during the first year that she had started and wanted as much on the job training as possible.

The curly blond shook her head in the negative. She took the lid off her travel coffee that she had purchased and began stirring in a couple packets of sugar. "I'm here to visit her. There was a slight complication." Before the nurse could express her concern she continued. "It's nothing serious. We knew there was a minor chance of it flaring up. With a couple days more on fairly strong antibiotics and my mom will be good as new. Surprised you haven't seen her."

"Well, I've been assigned to the second floor for the second part of my shift." When she got a raised eyebrow in question she quickly continued. "I was supposed to work yesterday but traded with another nurse so I could help get my friend settled." _Friend? Why are you just saying friend?_ "I was actually attached to the lab earlier because they were short of staff. That was a lot of going from room to room and drawing blood I'll tell you. My feet are aching and I think I get to go back to that when I get off lunch." The nurse sighed not wanting to go back as it meant no more texts from Sam.

"Really?" Amanda sat a little closer as she absently put the lid back on her coffee. She took a quick sip before she continued. "You know I'm a part owner in a shoe company. Well it's more than just a shoe company as it's also where uniforms from nurses to police officers to even private schools are made. The shoes we make are specialized. It's geared toward those that are on their feet a lot." She looked under the table to see that the nurse was wearing standard nurse's shoes. "Those are antique you know as far as comfort is concerned."

The petite blond with the green eyes wiggled her toes inside her shoes. She had always worn nurse's shoes and had always been comfortable. To her it was a combination of things such as a sixteen hour work day and the added mental stress of knowing that her girlfriend had a son that they still had yet to speak about. But she figured she could humor her old friend. "Perhaps I'll have to check out your place. Is it online and or do you have actual stores?"

Amanda was happy at the thought of making a sale. Though this woman was a friend her competitive streak always won out in the end. It was part of what had cost her her previous relationship. A promise had been made to herself but it was already hard to keep as she was already going all out work with someone that she at one time would consider herself a friend of. "We have both. The business card I gave you has the website and the information. Enough about work how are things?"

Abby felt her phone go off and a smile was on her face in an instant. Sam had sent a picture of her and the boys. They had been making what appeared were nurse's hats and it made her laugh because what boy really wanted to do that. When she looked up from the message she saw the questioning look on her friend's face. "Well I'll give you the short version seeing I'm due back on the floor in twenty minutes. I'm currently going through a divorce, and yes to a man, but have already met someone new."

That got a raised eyebrow from the curly blond haired woman. She watched the smile as the nurse typed whatever it was in response to the text. It saddened her just a little as seeing Abby the day before had stirred up old feelings in her. For the business woman she had lived a lonely life and reflecting upon the relationship that she had had briefly with the warm hearted blond it had given her hope that there could be more. _Just your luck, Kingston. She was in a relationship and already in a new one._

_Still friendship is good. You haven't had a real friend in years. And that was how your relationship started so long ago so yeah this could be a good thing. Perhaps she has some cute friends she could hook me up with._ "Wow! You've been busy. Um, if you don't mind me asking how long were you married?" She hesitated for a moment before asking what she really wanted to know. "And what is the name of the lucky one?"

"I was married for too long." Abby laughed. Amanda hadn't shared in the laughter so the petite blond quickly continued. "We were marred almost five years. He's a doctor here and it makes it awkward. At least there were no kids though I would have loved to have some." That got a sad look upon her face partially because of her lack of her own children and over her worry of how she would fit in with Sam's child's life. "And the name is Sam. It was a bit taboo. A former patient and all."

Amanda crinkled her forehead up in thought. _Using the generic terms I see. Sam could be short for Samantha among other names. I wonder if she's doing that on purpose just to yank my chain. The girl I knew was good hearted but also had a great sense of humor._ "Sorry in a way for no kids. Divorce is sucky enough without having children involved. So a patient huh? What did this former patient do that got them in your special care if you don't mind me asking?"

At that moment Abby's phone went off. This time it was a picture of Sam standing in the kitchen with Adam sitting on the bar stool at the little counter. Melissa had rabbit ears at the backs of both her daughter and her grandson. Sure enough another fit of laughter escaped the nurse. "Well my special one is a detective but got hurt in a car accident. I really truly felt that it was love at first sight for both of us. I never really loved Kevin." A few buttons pushed and she sent a reply text to her girlfriend.

The business woman was fascinated by the nurse. She was casually talking about her divorce and soon to be ex-husband like it was nothing. The transition to this new person in the other woman's life seemed to be flawless. Yet it really did seem quite amazing that the turnaround from one lover to another could happen so quickly. But if you married for the wrong reasons and then found the right person she could understand completely. "But you love this Sam?"

There was a twinkling in the green eyes that Amanda had never seen before. Granted they had only had a few weeks together at camp but she had thought that she had made her friend happy. But seeing the look on her face and the green eyes that were lighting up at the mere thought of this mysterious new person she simply knew that this was the real deal and that neither the business woman nor this Kevin person could ever hold a candle to Sam. Yet she could still try now couldn't she?

Another text and this time it was Sam telling her she knew it was time for her to go back to work and that she'd miss her and wait up for her. Of course Abby texted back that she should be getting her rest and that she could always have fun waking her up when she got home. That brought a bit of a blush to the naughty nurse's face though it was just a generic comment. When she looked at Amanda there was a smirk on the other woman's face. "I have to get back to work." She stood and held out her hand. They shook hands and the nurse started toward the elevators. Quickly she turned around and said, "By the way, Sam is short for Samantha." She followed that up by a wink and another blush.

Amanda watched until her friend was on the elevator before she allowed herself to react. Part of her was surprised and part of her was a bit jealous. When she had spoken of helping a friend get home the previous day she had hoped that it was a friend and not that kind of friend. There was a lot that had apparently happened to her summer camp crush. _I wonder what she would think if she knew that I have trouble committing because I still have feelings for her…_

Meanwhile Abby was on her way to the lab to see what the remaining patient list would be. Most likely it would take her the remaining four hours of her shift to complete all the blood draws and get them back to the labs. The door opened and a familiar dark and not so friendly face entered the elevator. Just after it had moved between floors Kevin reached out and hit the emergency stop button. He looked his wife up and down. "So I hear you are swinging for the other team now."

Abby made a move to restart the elevator but her husband quickly blocked her path. She looked up into eyes that were now filled with hatred. At least before they had been filled with apathy. Somehow that was easier to deal with then this new frightening look in his dark eyes. The nurse was wishing that she had taken up the offer of her girlfriend to have one of the off duty officers be at the hospital and follow her around. _Gotta be a big girl and deal with this on your own._ "If you're referring to the fact that I'm in a relationship with a woman then yes."

It was clear that Kevin wanted nothing more than to hit the woman that he had taken so much pain in training. Instead he turned and slammed his fist into the metal door of the elevator and yelped in pain. In an instant her good heartedness and the nurse training had kicked in and she was examining the hand. It was already swelling and when the doctor flexed his hand he howled in pain. "You've broken your hand." There was little to no sympathy in the nurse's voice.

"This is all your fault." Abby straightened and took a couple careful steps away from her soon to be ex-husband. Kevin glared at her and wanted to strike out at her once again as the throbbing in his hand worsened. "You knew your place. Why couldn't you just stay and be the dutiful wife that you were supposed to be? I never wanted you to work and yet you insisted. I should've known then. I should have never taken a chance on a bitch like you."

Before the nurse could respond, Kevin had turned around and had started the elevator moving again. He stood in front of the elevator doors with his back to his wife. If she had any doubts, and she hadn't, this was just another incident that put the woman over the edge into surety of the divorce. "If you never loved me then why would you want me? I know I'm a pretty wife and what you could call a trophy wife but really why?"

Kevin never answered her. Instead he made his way out of the elevator and went to the x-ray department. Abby had to move fast to hold the elevator doors open she was still so stunned at what had transpired on the elevator. She would have to let Sam know what happened or at least her partner. While he had not truly threatened her she still wanted it known just how easily he could lose his temper. Sadly it was all over something he never had control over in the first place and that was her heart.

At one time she would not think this but now she knew. Kevin had never had control over her heart. While he unfortunately had control over her mind and her body because of his constant manipulations she was glad that she had kept her heart away from him. Perhaps that was why all it took was one look from Sam and she was a complete and total goner. Perhaps the real reason was that her heart was never hers in the first place. Perhaps it had always, even before they met, belonged to the tall dark and gorgeous detective. That put a very goofy smile upon the nurse's face.

()()()()()()()()()()()

Peter Burrows sat in a very public restaurant waiting for his former boss. 'The Captain' as he still liked to refer to one Jonathon Leik was supposed to meet him within the hour. While he was now fully entrenched in the FBI and loved his job he sometimes missed the feel of the SVU. It was a more family oriented group than the large Federal Bureau of Investigation but for now he was stuck where he was. He was just glad he might be able to help out his boss.

There were several investigations going on at the bureau that were focusing on organized crime. The organized crime unit had at least four 'families' that it was looking into in the New York area but two were standing out in his mind. It seemed that two particular groups were in a power play and after almost a year of surveillance one person stood out like a point guard among centers. Sierra Gregors had been seen in the company of both Jenny Monroe and Elliot Munson two competing bosses.

The fact that the young woman was part of the rat squad it made the former SVU detective think. So he had run a background check on the woman and what he had found was interesting. She had been held back at the academy and apparently she blamed one fellow student who was now a detective. Samantha Walker had obviously made an enemy and with the ties to both organizations it made her a very dangerous person.

All this information and more were in a file that the agent had been compiling ever since he got the request from his boss to look into things. At first he had wondered why his boss would come to him instead of confiding in his own team. But finding out that someone that they knew almost for a certainty was on the take and in the powerful position of being in the IA unit well that changed his opinion and in a heartbeat. In fact he had shared this information with the ones investigating the families.

The agent stiffened just a little. It would not have been noticeable to anyone else except those that knew him well like his former captain. The agent nonchalantly picked up his phone and began to take a video of all the people in the restaurant making it look like he was trying to get a signal. There was someone watching him he just knew it but could not really get a good look at anyone so he made the quick video and sent it to his partner and to the ones in the organized crime unit.

That was when Jonathon walked in the door and spotted him. He stood and the two men at first only shook hands but quickly they hugged patting each other on the back. They both sat down and the waitress came up. Both ordered a coffee and a combo appetizer to share. The younger man was the one to speak first. "The wife would kill me if she knew I was having this. There's dinner at the school tonight for some kind of charity."

The older man shook his head. "Glad that I'm not tied down like that. Of course it does have its advantages especially now that the weather is getting colder." That got a laugh out of the FBI agent. Discreetly just as the waitress brought their coffees he slid the folder over to his former boss. The feeling of being watched was still strong but decided not to say anything at least not yet. The captain quickly scanned the information planning on reading it more carefully later. What he did see surprised him and surprised him to no end. "There is a connection? And this information is solid?"

Peter nodded trying to make it all look casual. In fact he let out a hearty laugh which at first his former boss thought wasn't right until he caught on and began to laugh as well. Even in a public restaurant like this there were still eyes and ears on you. Working for the federal government the younger man knew that better than anyone. "It seems more solid all the time. I would keep that protection detail not only on your agent but also anyone that is near and dear to her."

The captain once again smiled like something amusing had been said and brought his coffee to his lips and took a healthy sip. It was weaker than he liked but after the long few weeks he'd had since Walker had gotten into her 'accident' the caffeine felt good on his tongue. He knew that its affect was almost more mental than physical but really didn't care. "Looks like I still have to be careful in my own house. You'd think after spring cleaning wouldn't have to worry about fall cleaning."

Once again the two men acted as if something amusing had been said between the two men. Agent Burrows was about to say something when he got a text. It was one he had not been expecting and it shocked him. Without a word he handed the phone over to his former captain. The older man's eyes grew wide failing to conceal the shock on his face. There was an alert that had just gone out. One Sierra Gregors had been badly beaten and was on her way to the emergency room.

"That puts a little bit of sugar in the vinegar." Peter was shaking his head. There were probably only one or two reasons for the blond to be on her way to the emergency room. One it was just a coincidence and something tragic had taken place. That was unlikely as it was to have freezing rain on the equator. The other more likely possibility was that one of the two bosses had found out that she was playing both sides of the fence and had been taught a lesson. From what he had heard of Jenny Monroe the young woman was lucky to be alive. For that matter so was Samantha Walker if she was really wanted her dead.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Her long day was finally over. Abby quietly made her way into the apartment not knowing where everyone was. Adam had insisted on staying with his 'aunt Sam' the previous night and they had shared the spare room which had a set of twin beds in it. Melissa, though older, had insisted on taking the pullout couch. That had left the nurse a queen size bed all to herself. It was funny just how lonely a bed that size could feel seeing that she and Kevin had shared a king sized one and she had never felt lonely when he was not in it with her.

But the previous night had been a very long night indeed. It wasn't even that Sam was in the next room and all she wanted to do was to cuddle. _Who am I kidding? You want to do more than cuddle. You want to make love to the woman you love whom you haven't told that you love. You, Abby Jones are an amazingly silly young woman who needs to grow a pair and tell her how you feel and then act on it. Although with her son there it probably wasn't a good idea._

The nurse used a small light on her key chain to make her way around the apartment. She had kept an apple and a muffin aside from her last trip to the cafeteria and snacked on them in the car on her way home. She quietly made her way over to the refrigerator for a small bottle of water. Opening it with a quick twist she gulped down almost the entire contents in one healthy swallow. That was one of the side effects of working sixteen hours straight. She never felt like she got enough to drink.

Abby set the bottle in the sink noting to herself to take care of it the next day after swallowing the remaining contents of the bottle. When she flashed her dim light at the pullout sure enough it was the pepper dark hair that she saw cascading beautifully on the pillow. Though she was smaller in stature than her daughter there was still something so amazing about the older woman. There was no denying the strength that radiated off from the woman even while she slept. It was definitely where her daughter got it from.

Quickly she made sure that the light was not on her friend's face. _I want to think of her as my mother-in-law. Is that strange? I mean she has been more kind and loving than my own mother ever was. Is it so wrong to want to have someone like her as my mother? And I know she has enough love to go around for everyone. I don't want to be selfish but maybe I should ask if I can start calling her mom. Of course I wonder what Sam will think of that?_

Abby made her way to the second bedroom surprised that the door was wide open. She flashed her light in and was totally shocked to see that both the twin beds were empty. Her attention immediately went to the bathroom across the hall but there was no sign of anyone in there. Again the door was wide open. The nurse's heart skipped a beat not sure what to think. There was the bad thought of what if something had happened to the detective and she was hurt or kidnapped.

There was another terrifying thought as she froze in place and turned off the little light. _What if? What if she's lying in your bed waiting for you? What if she wants to do more than talk?_ Suddenly Abby's knees got a little weak at the thought. It was causing a burning sensation that she had not felt before deep in her gut. Not even when she had her first taste of love with Amanda had she felt such a strong bout of desire. Of course she had not loved the teenager. She loved Sam with all her heart and soul.

_More likely she's just waiting in there to talk. Doesn't she know that you have to be up early in the morning? Well, there is one more possibility and that would be she just wants to be there for you and snuggle with you. I'm sure she's worked some long hard hours as a cop._ That brought a smile upon her face and calmed her lustful desires. Well, calmed them was a strong word. Maybe caused them to recede just a tiny bit was a better way of putting it.

Abby took a deep breath. In a way this is what she had been dreaming about for the past few weeks. Having Sam waiting in bed for her when she got home made her mouth suddenly dry. Of course her fantasy had been content with her just in her apartment when she got home. But this was too much to ask for. Oh how the nurse's head was spinning with emotions of the day from yet again seeing Amanda, having the confrontation with Kevin and now possibly having her girlfriend waiting for her in bed.

Slowly her right foot cooperated and moved forward. Slowly her left foot followed suit until finally she was actually moving in tandem toward the master bedroom. Before she had a chance to use her little key chain light the lamp by the bed was clicked on. Without even thinking about it she turned and shut the door tight behind her. When she turned around she saw beautiful piercing blue eyes practically devouring her and it took her breath away.

It was several moments before Abby could think let alone move or try and say something intelligent. If she had tried to speak all that would have come out was some kind of squawking noise she was certain so she stood there swallowing several moments and allowed her mind to gather itself. Finally she walked over to the edge of the bed and sat down. Immediately Sam took her hand and that made all the coherency that she had gathered go right out the window once again.

_Is it because I'm tired that I'm feeling like this? Is it because of a simple look she gave me that turned my brain into mush? Man if it's because of a simple look I am so toast!_ That last thought made the nurse smile and it also made her gather herself up once again. "I wasn't expecting to find you in my bed when I got home. Have to admit it's a very nice surprise." Without thinking about it she gave the hand holding hers a gentle squeeze.

That's when she felt the pull. It was as emotional as it was physical. Before Abby truly knew what was happening Sam had used her strength to pull her up on to her lap. They were now nose to nose and looking into one another's eyes. "I always want to be waiting for you in OUR bed every single night." And just like that the inches that had separated them had been bridged. Their lips met at first just a tender kiss. It wasn't long before a growl escaped the detective and a moan escaped the nurse as their tongues were fighting furiously for domination.

It was amazing just how quickly the tender kiss had become one fill with passion, desire and love that it made both women's heads spin. Neither had experienced this level of not only lust but also complete and total love. This was the definition of intimate. Abby began to whimper because her body was on total overload with so many emotions and sensations that it was almost too much for her. At the sound Sam quickly pulled back. It was time for oxygen anyways but first and foremost was concern that it had been too much or that she had hurt the woman that she loved.

Ragged breathing was the order of business for several minutes before finally Sam was able to compose herself to speak. "I'm sorry if that was too much." A gentle hand stroking her cheek told her the answer and she knew it was just what she had been feeling. The amount of sensations and feelings had practically overloaded the detective as well. She leaned into the gentle touch knowing that it was time that she confessed a few things. First and foremost would be the thing that she hoped that would make everything else tolerable to hear. "I love you Abigail Jones."

Both hearts that had been beating as one unbeknownst to both women both skipped a beat. One was because of the fear of rejection or perhaps not having the feelings returned quite as strongly. The other because these were the words that she had longed to hear scarily almost since their eyes met such a short time ago. It took a moment for Abby to get her mouth to say what her heart wanted to say. "I love you Samantha Walker. I want this apartment, this bed as well as everything to be ours."

Sam's face beamed in the dim light of the lamp by the bed. At least this part had gone better than she had expected. Of course she wanted to take it to the ultimate level but knew that the divorce wasn't final and that Abby had to be tired after working so many hours straight. Still there was one more thing that she had to confess before they went any further. "I think you already know this by the look you gave me yesterday but I have to tell you that Adam isn't my nephew. He's my son."

The detective waited for the world of wonder that had just happened to be in because of their confessions of love to come crashing down around her. No one else knew with the exception of her family about her son and his origins. That was another fear that was still there because having a son was one thing. Finding out that the boy was a product of rape that would be something difficult to grasp. But this was something that needed to be said before they went any further.

"I knew before I saw him." It was Abby's turn to make a confession. "When I saw his picture I swore he had your amazing blue eyes. I also found that tin box that you had hidden under the chair in your apartment." Sam stiffened when she realized exactly what it was that her girlfriend was referring to. "I don't want to be someone that jumps to conclusions but with the news articles, passing off your son as your nephew I um kinda realized the circumstances of his conception and why you hid it. I can't imagine…"

Sam had turned her head away from the petite blond. Partially she was upset that Abby had found her hidden stash of collections from the path. Partially she was upset at herself for keeping it or at the least not keeping it better hidden. Her blue eyes looked into the green ones. She knew that there had been no invasion of privacy intended. Although it did beg the question of how she had found the box she had thought she had well hidden. "How did you find the box?"

That got a blush out of the nurse. "Well that's one thing you haven't discovered about me yet." She was glad that Sam had returned her gaze. That at least gave her a little hope that she would not be too upset at the whole confession she was about to give. "I'm a total klutz. I tripped and somehow knocked the box out from under the chair. The contents went all over and I was just trying to pick them up. Then I must admit that curiosity got the better of me and I read them. I put two and two together. But it didn't hit home until I saw Adam in person. He is you from your blue eyes to his outgoing and strong personality."

The detective shook her head. She had every right to be pissed off at the woman that she loved and part of her was a little upset. But mostly she was relieved that this secret that she had held on to for so long was out in the open. _Perhaps that was why I never had a meaningful relationship after the rape. I could never fully open myself up and allow for heartbreak. And then comes along this petite blond with an amazing body but more importantly an amazing heart and I just can't wait to open myself up to her._

"Do you want to wait until tomorrow after work to finish this conversation? You've worked long and hard and must be exhausted. Plus I know you have to be there at seven which is now less than eight hours away." Sam looked into bloodshot green eyes. "I'm not trying to hide anything. I will tell you everything you want to know. I will be an open book from now on I promise. But I do know how it is to work so many hours."

Abby had draped an arm around her girlfriend's neck and was looking at her with so much love that it made Sam swallow hard a couple times. _Considerate of how I'm feeling and how tired I am. That was something that Kevin never would have been. I want to finish this and I want to finish it now._ "I'm all right. Besides your family will be here until Sunday morning. You need to spend time with them so it's either now or wait until Sunday afternoon."

Sam thought about it and took a deep breath not sure if she could wait until Sunday afternoon. It would, she thought be better to get the whole story off her chest. But she figured that someone needed to get ready for bed. "Why don't you get more comfortable and I'll tell you a story while you do." It got a pout from the nurse. At first the detective could not understand why until the normally quick witted woman felt the slightly tighter grip around her neck. "G'wan. I'll be here and we can snuggle properly."

Abby made quick work of getting herself ready for bed. Of course that was brushing her teeth and washing up a little. Normally she would wear just an A-shirt and men's boxers to bed but decided that to avoid temptation by both of them that she would wear one of her t-shirts and pajama bottoms. She had those for when she actually slept in the same bed as Kevin. It was a warning of sorts for him that she was not in the mood. That could not be further from the truth with Sam.

Once the nurse got settled in the bed next to the detective she realized that her girlfriend too was dressed similarly. She wondered if the reason for the clothing was the same as what her reason had been but decided not to dwell on it. Just being in bed this close to Sam was driving her insane with wanting to touch and kiss and…_Naughty nurse. Gotta keep your thoughts clean. Think unsexy thoughts. Think unsexy thoughts. _That's when she felt Sam's breath on the top of her head and nearly lost all control. Nearly.

Sam had wrapped her strong protective arms around the nurse who now had her head on her shoulder. The t-shirt that the detective was wearing was rather thin and she could feel both the warmth of her girlfriend's breath as well as the warmth of the skin. She closed her eyes and had to swallow so many times trying to get her thoughts where they should be. _Behave yourself Walker. This woman is too special and too important to just be giving into lust. When you do give in to the passion it will be to make love and not just have meaningless sex._

"This is very nice." Sam felt Abby nod and in doing so her ear was rubbing against her nipple causing it to harden. It caused her breath to catch but being in strong control of her emotions and her body she managed to push that sensation deep down otherwise she could not go on. "If you've seen the article about the rookie and the rape you know most of the story. I had only been out of the academy for less than two months. It was the first time I had stumbled upon a crime by myself. I called it in when I heard the screams from the woman."

"I bet I can guess what happened next." Abby began to idly trace a circular pattern on the hard stomach of the woman that she was snuggled up to. It was not surprising to the nurse that Sam was in great shape. Not body builder muscles bulging kind of shape but the well maintained and tight skin covering taught muscles. Her breath quickened for a moment before the naughty nurse got herself under control. "Your instincts kicked in and that was to protect someone that was in trouble."

The pattern that Abby was tracing on her stomach was making her sleepy. She never in her life had felt this at ease and this wonderful at the simple touch of someone else. It was relaxing her to the point where she was having trouble concentrating. But her training kicked in. She needed to finish this and then all that she was would be known to the petite blond. "My training went out the door. It would have said to stay and wait for backup. But there was someone in trouble and so I went."

There was no sadness. There was no anger. There was no regret in the detective's voice. Abby was fascinated that all she heard from the slightly older woman was acceptance. The nurse was not sure that she could accept what happened even after all these years what had happened. But then there was something amazing about the woman that she loved. There was this inner strength that very few people had. She feared that included herself.

"There were ten men inside the warehouse." Sam almost now seemed to sound disconnected like she was relating a victim's account of a rape and not her own. Abby figured it was an easier way to deal with what happened than reliving it once again. "Two of them were taking turns raping a girl no more than fourteen years old. I announced who I was. The men were so stunned to see me pointing my gun at them that they let the girl go. She crawled over to me. I got between her and the men."

There was a wavering at this point in the voice that had been steady. Perhaps it was too much to relate. Abby decided that she didn't need or want to know the details of the rape. All she needed to know was that a horrendous act had resulted in a beautiful amazing innocent boy that had a mother that loved him and now had another mother that would do anything for him. "You don't have to tell me anymore. I can tell this is very painful. Just know I appreciate you confirming what I suspected. It means a lot that you confided the truth to me."

"I want you to hear it all. Not because I feel I owe it to you." Sam began to idly rub Abby's back and managed to kiss the top of her sweet blond head. "I've only told my mother and a psychiatrist what happened. You are the most important thing in my life. You mean everything to me and I want you to understand exactly why I am the way I am. I want you to know that there might be times when I get hurt and angry and lost and it might not even be because of you. It will be because of this one night in my life."

Now Abby felt so honored that she could not even find words. A solitary tear rolled down her cheek and was absorbed by the black t-shirt of her girlfriend. It went unnoticed with the exception that of the sniffle that came along with it. It caused the nurse to snuggle up even closer to the woman that was putting all the emotions on the table for her. It was an honor as she knew that only one other time had the detective allowed herself to become this vulnerable.

"Anyways…" Sam had to clear her throat several times as the emotions that she rarely if ever allowed herself to relive were coming back to her. "I managed to get the girl out of the building and was about to leave when I heard a noise. It was too late. Everything went black." Her throat tightened at the memory. "I woke up some time later. I was gagged. My hands were tied behind my back. I…" Her voice trembled with emotions that had not been allowed the freedom of seeing the light of day for so long.

Abby pulled herself up and looked into blue eyes. There was such pain there that it broke her heart. While her marriage to Kevin had not been pleasant and there had been fear in the end there had never been anything like this. This was a pain, an anguish that had cut deep into her very soul and it was amazing that she had ever managed to move on with her life especially with the events of what had happened with Leslie Wilson. "You are safe with me. No matter what happens I will take care of you and I will love you no matter what."

Sam reached up a hand and gently stroked a cheek reveling in the feel when Abby leaned into the touch. Reveling in the look of complete love and acceptance that was on her girlfriend's face. There had never been anyone in her life that would or could be this amazing. _How did I luck out and find you? It was as if we were meant to find one another. It was as if we have been wandering this big old earth trying to find one another just getting by until now._

"You are an angel I swear!" Sam closed the distance slowly bringing their lips in contact. It was something she not just wanted at that moment but needed. She needed to know and to revel in the love of the person that held her heart firmly in her hands and what was more the detective, for the first time in her life, felt safe giving her heart away freely. "I don't know what I did to deserve you but I just know I'm one lucky woman."

Now Sam could see the tears slowly trailing down the blond woman's cheeks. She reached up and gently wiped the tears away with her thumb of both hands. There was just something about Abby Jones that meant everything to the detective. There was nothing she wouldn't do for her. She would put her life on the line for her. Love was not easy to find and she had. But this went behind love. This was a connection between two souls that echoed throughout the ages.

"I feel the same, my love." Abby swallowed as the emotions were overflowing. "I'm no angel but I am someone that cares for you and will always be there for you." Once again their lips were meeting but this time it wasn't so much out of passion as it was out of love and compassion and understanding. These two women were connected on such a level that just one touch or one look was enough to convey what they felt.

Sam pulled back. There was still more to tell. How the man had taken her to his place and raped her over and over and over again. How vulnerable she had felt after that. How close she had come to killing herself each night even after she had found out she was pregnant as a result of the rape. Hearing the beat of the heart of her little Adam for the first time and how it had made all the difference in the world. It had made her want to change the world and she couldn't do that if she was allowing the pain to overtake her day after day.

About how she loved her son with all her heart but even today she was reminded every once in a while about the pain and hatred and the vulnerability that came when she looked at him. How every once in a while those feelings of wanting to end the hurting came back. But ever since she had met Abby those feelings were now hardly at all present. Even seeing Adam unexpectedly had not caused her the pain that it usually did.

In short the woman that was holding her and whose breathing was starting to even out into some kind of sleep was almost like her savior of sorts. It was still too soon to really tell but if the way that she was feeling inside was any indication Abigail Jones might just heal her enough to be able to have her son around her all the time. Might heal her enough to never want to take her own life again. Might just be the one person that can take away those hated outbursts of emotions that had come ever since the rape. _Oh Abby are you really an angle in disguise?_


	13. Chapter 13

Abby was dressed as a bunny rabbit. It was her favorite day of the year at the hospital as she got to dress up. She always volunteered at the children's ward and this year was no exception. Even though it was her day off she and Sam had decided to spread a little cheer. The detective in the almost two weeks since the latest incident had made great strides in her recovery and was now walking without crutches. She still had to where the walking boot but getting around was much easier.

The raven haired beauty was dressed as a black kitty cat. Her hair blending in perfectly with her outfit and almost made her look like cat woman. The tight spandex outfit was enough to make the nurse have some very naughty thoughts. In fact she found herself several times throughout their time at the hospital taking Sam's tail in her hand and tugging the taller woman towards her even going so far as to stroke her other tail.

Every time that Abby pulled her tail and then stroked her other tail Sam would give her this smoldering look. The past two weeks had been full of a lot of make out sessions. In fact there had been a lot of make out sessions as Melissa had felt that with her daughter almost fully mobile that she should go home and make sure she still had a business left. She trusted her employees and her sons up until a point and it had been a long time in the city. She missed the lake and the country atmosphere.

Melissa was not alone there. Some of the late nights that the two were now sharing alone in their apartment had discussions of spending time in the country and more specifically in at the bed and breakfast. The invitation for both of them to stay was open ended and they knew that as the older woman mentioned it about twenty times before she left and almost every time that she would text asking how her daughter was fairing.

At the moment her daughter was helping to keep a five year old burn victim entertained while nurse bunny rabbit Abby helped to change her bandages. Of course the detective had noticed the skin tight spandex of the nurse. Though it had a little bit of fur on it the curves of the petite blond stood out like a kitten among bull dog puppies. Of course the dark haired woman had decided that fair play was in order and had begun to play with the cotton tail that was pinned nicely on a wonderfully shaped buttocks.

Let's just say that the two hours flew by and though they were still in costume they decided to stop at the little bistro that Abby had recommended to Melissa to dine at. It was one of both their favorite spots and it was kinda like a date. They had already been on a few since the detective's mother had gone home. It was mostly just dinner and a movie kind of date as Sam was in no shape to do too much more though before Thanksgiving she would be able to return to work and maybe take a little trip back to her hometown and bring a certain naughty nurse with her.

It was almost one in the afternoon and they sat inside the small bistro that was famous for its pasta. They were both eating the small salad that came with their meal when a familiar voice to Abby called out her name. She looked around to see curly blond haired woman bouncing her way. The nurse and her one time love had seemed to bumping into one another quite a bit as of late. Jokingly she had thought that Amanda was stalking her but knew better than to say anything like that to the detective.

Instead she had just informed her girlfriend that she had been running into an old friend. When she had told Sam just exactly who this old friend was the dark haired beauty had gotten a little jealous. Ok. She had gotten a lot jealous. It had caused the nurse to be quite flattered though now it was giving her cause for trepidation as Amanda came up and sat down in the chair next to the nurse without being invited. "Hey Amanda." The waves coming off Sam spoke volumes at how happy (note sarcasm) she was to see the other woman. "I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Sam."

Amanda held out her hand and Sam grudgingly took it making sure that her grip was extra firm. While she was new to the whole relationship thing she knew when someone was checking out someone else and the curly blond could not keep her eyes off her rabbit's tail. _That's mine! You better keep those hands to yourself or you'll be having to have someone feed you for about a month maybe two._ "Nice to meet you, Amanda."

The nurse noticed that her girlfriend's voice was a little edgy. Inwardly she rolled her eyes at the jealousy and yet it warmed her heart. For now she didn't think that Sam had any reason to be jealous. While it was true that this was the only woman at this point for her to have been intimate with that had happened far too long ago for there to be any residual effects although there was the scariness that went along with Sam's first girlfriend. But Amanda was not like that, was she?

"Sam!" Amanda wanted to scream the grip on her hand was so tight. But the curly blond just went with it hoping that Abby had seen just how her girlfriend was treating her. Jealousy was not one thing that the sales representative liked in a partner. "I've heard a little bit about you from this special lady." She proceeded to wink at the nurse. Lucky for her Sam had already let go of her hand or it probably would have been broken. "Did she tell you how we know each other?"

Sam was looking at the other woman with a disguised face. It was a good thing that she had a poker face because otherwise the look that she would be giving would cause instant death she was sure. That was something that she really didn't want Abby to see. In fact the detective managed to put on a sheepish grin. "Oh she told me all about that night at summer camp. I told her that we should try and go there. Nothing like that ever happened to me at camp."

_Well played my friend. I can't tell if you are sincere or if you are full of it. Must be that damned cop training. Hate cops. Hate the whole judicial process. Come on Amanda. Keep your cool. Perhaps I can put some dents on that shiny badge of yours._ "Well Abby can't go back to that camp. She and I were both banned for life." She turned to the nurse and smiled one of her best flirty smiles. "But it was well worth it. At least speaking for myself it was well worth it."

Abby felt like she was in a bad dream. It felt like she was having one of those dreams where you are naked and in a large crowd. The tension in the air was almost literally so thick you could cut it with a knife. _She really is flirting with me. I wonder if it's her personality or if she just can't accept that I'm with Sam. If she flirted with my gorgeous girl I'd know the answer._ The nurse sighed inwardly but kept on that smile she was famous for. "Well it was definitely an experience. Just wish the fallout hadn't been so traumatic."

_Oooo! I like that._ Sam could see the look on the curly blond's face. Whether or not the nurse had intended it that way she had pretty much bitch slapped her former flame. _That's right, bitch! The two of yours one night of passion came with a high price. Our endless nights of passion for the rest of our lives is no strings attached other than happiness and faithfulness and the makings of a family._ The detective was trying not to smile smugly. It was hard but she managed to keep her poker face on.

Amanda was definitely taken aback. They had not really had a chance to talk since camp. Letters had been held back by both sets of parents and while they'd had a couple meetings at the hospital Abby had always been too busy with something or the other to go on a proper lunch date. "Um, not sure what you mean by that. I figured your parents were steamed like mine were. I know they held my letters from you. How bad could it have been?"

_This is not the time or the place for this. I wanted a special day with my girlfriend. This is my favorite holiday. This is our first holiday together. I want to be anywhere with Sam than right here because this is making me think of things I'd rather not think of._ It took a moment for Abby to gather her thoughts. Sam instinctively reached across the table and took her girlfriend's hand. "Well the short version is that mom and dad weren't thrilled. They grounded me. Had our priest talk to me. I was shunned by my classmates and high school was the loneliest time I've ever spent including a loveless marriage."

Slap! Slap! Slap! Sam was making mental slapping noises with each word that came out of her girlfriend's mouth. True it was not really Amanda's fault that things had turned out so painful for Abby but she was still the cause of it all. Of course she had to thank the curly blond for one thing. If they had not had their one night stand over ten years ago who knows if and when Abby would have been ready to accept the fact that she was attracted to women. And one particular woman was very lucky that she was on the receiving end of some very powerful kisses.

Amanda stood with her mouth open for the longest of times not sure how to respond to what she was just told. She had always been in trouble from the time she was twelve years old and knew that she was different. Her different colored hair was just the beginning of acting out until she knew exactly why it was that she had felt different and had begun a string of not so good relationships. Her parents finally kicked her out at seventeen but luckily took her back after just a week. That had been enough to calm herself down and to tell them the reason she had been acting out.

But to have gone through what her friend had gone through. That must have been one difficult time in her life. It saddened her to think that she was the cause of that kind of pain and misery. All she had wanted was to get a taste of the sweet blond. And look what kind of pain she had caused. "I'm sorry it was that bad for you. The fallout for me wasn't nearly as bad and my parents finally accepted my lifestyle as they still refer to it. How about yours?"

Abby looked at her girlfriend trying to convey just how sorry she was for this intrusion that just wouldn't seem to go away. But she was a kind hearted person and being rude was hard for her. Perhaps just a couple more moments and she could get the point across that she wanted to be alone with Sam. "Well they don't know yet. Well not really. I told them about the divorce. I figure they'll disown me. No big deal as I have a woman, Sam's mother in fact, that calls me daughter and allows me to call her mom."

The curly blond was felt once again like she had been bitch slapped. None of what Abby was saying had been intended as such. She knew that the nurse was too kind and good natured to intentionally come out swinging like she was. But maybe it was for the best. _Perhaps now I can move on from the bodacious petite blond. Just remembering how she tasted and felt and oh stop it right now you moron. She's taken!_ "That's incredible. Sounds like you have a readymade family. I'm happy for you."

_More than you know. I can't believe I'm going to have a son as well as two brothers, a niece, two nephews and of course a mother. This is the perfect relationship. Sam is the perfect partner. I just don't think it could have turned out any better had I planned it aside from the unanswered questions about all the 'accidents'._ "I'm really happy for me too. It's been nice talking to you and I promise if you still want we can get together for coffee or lunch sometime. But right now I'm on a date so…"

Amanda put up her hands as if in mock surrender. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. I do that sometimes. I think it's the sales person in me." She smiled like she was embarrassed but wasn't really. "I tend to push and not think things through. Hope you two enjoy the rest of your day." Once again she turned to the detective. _You've won this round but don't think I'll go away that easily my friend._ "It was nice meeting you. I'll leave you and your wonderful girlfriend alone. Bye for now!"

Sam watched her leave. The look she was giving would have knocked over an armored truck it was so severe. "I don't think I like her." She turned toward Abby and smiled. "But she's your friend. I will never stand in the way of any of your friendships as long as they don't harm us." She reached over and took Abby's hand in her own. She leaned forward and kissed the hand gently. "You are amazing and lovely and I hope I didn't get myself in the doghouse for saying what I just said."

Abby chuckled. Her girlfriend was sweet. She was overprotective and spoke what was on her mind. She had a jealous streak a mile long and yet she came off with so much love and faith in their relationship that she couldn't stay mad at her if she wanted to. In this case she really wasn't mad at all. It was actually amusing to see how Sam had reacted to all that was said. "I think you handled yourself beautifully for all that was said. Not sure I could have been so gracious my love."

"You, my dear, are the definition of gracious." Sam winked at her. "I don't think I could have held up as well as you just did remembering such difficult reasons." The detective watched as her girlfriend blushed ever so slightly. _I love how she doesn't even like taking any kind of compliment even though she is amazing and loving and…Perfect? Yup! My girlfriend is perfect._ The dark haired beauty sighed in contentment. _Only one thing could be better and that will come with time._ "Enough about old friends. Let's talk about how we want to spend the rest of your day off. Movie?"

The nurse took a second to react to what the other woman had said. She was caught up in the blue eyes twinkling at her as well as the expression on her face. It was as if Sam was trying to memorize her face. It was as if her girlfriend thought of her as everything and it was a bit overwhelming. No one had even come close to making her feel this special and it wasn't with words. It was from the looks that she received. Finally Abby snapped out of it and pulled out her smart phone. "Well it looks like mostly horror movies playing everywhere."

Sam nodded. She had been afraid of that. Usually the movie theatres were famous for having marathons of classic horror films all day on Halloween. The detective was not an avid fan but didn't mind a good horror film here and there. It was obvious from her girlfriend's tone that she was the kind that would rather not deal with blood and guts. "Well, do you have Netflix?" Abby nodded. "So do I. We can watch a movie snuggled up on the couch together."

The nurse closed her eyes and thought about Sam lying lengthwise on her side and she having her back to the taller woman protective arms wrapped around her their body heat mingling. Her mouth went dry and she decided now was the time to get a sip of her water. When she finally got the courage to look at the detective she saw a smirk on the slightly older woman's face. Her first instinct was to smack the woman but decided to just answer calmly. "That sounds like a good plan. Maybe a romantic comedy?"

The detective was about to answer when a female voice rang out calling her girlfriend's name. Both women turned to the opening of the bistro to see an older woman standing there. She had brown hair that was being peppered with gray already. Her stature was almost that of Abby's. From Sam's quick assessment the woman stood an inch shorter than the nurse and was just a little broader in built. The eyes were almost exactly the same color. _Is that her mother?_

The woman was in her mid-fifties but moved like she was a twenty something. She was in great shape for her age and it jokingly gave Sam she thought a bright look into the future. Oh a future that went thirty some years into the future. That was a nice feeling for someone that really had never thought of a long lasting relationship. At least she had not until she had taken one look into those green eyes and had lost her heart and her soul all in one swift glance.

Hesitantly the older woman made her way to the table where the cat and the rabbit were seated. There was silence for a moment as the woman looked the woman dressed in fury skin tight white spandex. Sam noticed how she was ignored after the initial eyeing of both of them sitting there and that confirmed that this was indeed her girlfriend's mother. What little she knew of her she did not like her one bit. "I see you still dress up for Halloween."

The tone of the voice was not an approving one but then Abby would never expect that her mother would approve of anything she ever did. They had not even approved when she had decided to become a nurse. They had hoped that she would follow her father's path and become a businesswoman. That never had appealed to her other than maybe making a larger paycheck to donate or get whatever business she was involved in to support charities. "We just came from the children's ward at the hospital. I'd like you to…"

Her words were cut off shortly by her mother's voice. "Really dear I don't mind you dressing up in things like that to entertain the less fortunate." She stepped closer trying to keep her voice from being overheard. It would be obvious to anyone that this woman was clearly embarrassed by the sight before her. "But you could have changed. I know they have some kind of lounge or whatever where you'd be able to change. That outfit is very revealing." Again her voice was full of disapproval.

"I think she looks very good." Pale green eyes met with sparkling blue ones. The older woman was taken back when her gaze kept the suddenly icy stare of the dark haired woman. The pale green eyes looked the body up and down in the same disapproving manner as Sam's outfit hung even tighter to her tall muscular frame. "I'm Sam, by the way." She glanced at Abby briefly before she continued her icy stare at the older woman. "I'm a very good friend of your daughter's. _Well that's safe I guess. Let it be up to my little thumper to tell the whole truth when she feels comfortable enough._

The detective had not even bothered to offer her hand in greeting. From the coldness that the woman was showing her daughter there was no way she would be warm to someone she perceived as lower class than she was. And she was totally right in thinking that she was not anywhere near the league of the older woman. Sam actually had feelings and actually cared about people. She loved her family and she loved the woman sitting across from her obviously hurting badly.

"I'm Mrs. Sarah Ivy. I don't suppose she told you who I am." Sarah was surprised when the dark haired woman actually nodded and now offered a hand in greeting. Reluctantly she took it and winced regretting it immediately. _Good God she's as strong as an ox! Tall dark and dangerous if I had to guess._ Quickly she tried to ignore the strong woman and turned her attention solely on her daughter. "I got your e-mail about you and Kevin. Couldn't you have called or better yet stopped in with news like that?"

Abby had wondered how long it would take for her to start in on the divorce. She knew that her parents were not happy with her marriage but being somewhat religious they of course hated divorce. What they hated more was scandal. Their other daughter already was giving them all the scandal they could handle. "You're right, mother. Or you would be if we ever talked anymore. I call the house and the housekeeper always says you are either busy or not home. I do try you know."

Sarah felt the stings of the words and visibly winced they were powerful each one like a slap to the face. Part of her felt guilty for the estrangement but she had been raised to respect your parents and not to go against their wishes. Her daughter had made it clear first by the scandal at camp and then by her choice of vocations and topped off by marrying someone they highly disapproved of that she was her own woman. Sometimes she envied that about her daughter. "I know. Still I would have thought you would have tried harder." She glanced sparingly over at her daughter's friend and then back to Abby. "Unless you've had better things to do."

Sam almost lost it when she had said that. _Apparently she thinks that her little girl has jumped from a horrible relationship into one that goes against everything she has ever been taught. If I didn't have such respect for my elders I'd be wiping the floor with her that's for sure._ Abby was looking pleadingly at her to do what she was not sure. But she guessed she could save her girl after all that was what she did. "Well she has been helping me out." The detective made it so that her booted leg showed from underneath the table. "I just got of crutches so she was nice enough to help me out."

That got the detective a warm smile. It was the kind of smile that melted your heart right down to your very soul it was so sweet. Sam found herself blushing quite profusely and for what? She hadn't done anything out of the ordinary. Again she told the truth. It just wasn't the whole truth of 'oh and Mrs. Ivy I've been making out with your daughter like crazy and waiting for her divorce to be final so we can finally be intimate with one another'. The dark haired woman smirked at her own thoughts.

Abby wanted to reach across the table and take Sam's hand in her own. Truly she wanted to get up and kiss the detective senseless but her mother being there and them being in public deterred her in a very big way. Still she was grateful to her girlfriend and she would show it the minute they got back to the apartment. "She's been a very good patient. In fact I've moved in with her." The words were out of her mouth before she could even think about what she was saying.

Sarah was in full shock and almost went to the ground when a pair of strong arms had her and was holding her from falling. Abby got past her shock and pulled a chair from another table over and Sam guided the older woman so that she was seated. For a moment the strong hands kept their grip on the older woman's arms before she slowly let go and was sure that her girlfriend's mother wasn't going to tip out of the chair. The nurse noticed the slight limp when the detective resumed her seat.

_That's my hero. Sam you are always thinking of others before yourself. I hope you didn't hurt yourself too badly especially over my mother. If she wouldn't be so conservative and, well, with a stick up her butt she wouldn't react this way._ Blue eyes met brilliant green ones and Abby mouthed 'I'm sorry' to which she got a simple shrug back. Abby decided that she better try and explain. But how did you explain a comment like that? The truth would be too much for her mother and she would pass out instead of only threatening to do so.

The nurse took a deep breath and decided that a partial truth was good enough for now. "There was an accident in Sam's apartment and it isn't livable for a little while." Without looking at her girlfriend she could swear that there was a smirk on her face. She was certain she had heard a snort but was not a hundred percent sure. "Besides it's the first time in a long time that I've been on my own. I thought that it might help to have some company after what happened with Kevin."

Sarah had managed to gather enough of her wits so that she was now staring at her daughter in disbelief mostly. "I had always thought that you made decent money as a nurse and that you could afford a nice place on your own." She watched as she could swear panic was starting to set in on her daughter's face. _I've caught you in a half-truth now haven't I little one? I can't have my daughter lying to me. Unless…_The reason that her daughter would be lying made her shiver and quickly pushed that thought from her head.

"Well yes I can live comfortably on my own." Abby was now getting flustered. She looked over at Sam who was giving her the most sympathetic look. _I bet she thought dealing with her mother was something else. At least everything that Melissa does comes out of love. With my mother who knows what is behind it._ "But I…" _Shit! Oh great! Now you are swearing. Just tell her the truth. She'll find out eventually and then really be pissed off._

The nurse took several breaths steadying herself for what she knew would be quite shocking news for her mother. Her eyes met her almost lover's and it seemed that they could communicate without saying a word because Sam seemed to be readying herself to catch her mother should she once again attempt to pass out. "Mother, I've got to tell you the truth." One more look at her girlfriend which got her a wink and that made her smile and gave her the courage that she needed to continue. "I know the divorce isn't final yet but I'm with someone new."

Sarah was as white as Abby's rabbit outfit. She swayed just a little in her chair but somehow remained seated. Perhaps it was the fact that strong arms were already outstretched to catch her should she happen to fall. Perhaps she had already guessed and it wasn't quite the shock that it probably should have been. The older woman looked from her daughter to the tall scary looking woman and back to her daughter. Without a word she stood up. She waited until she got her balance and turned on her heels and left.

Abby slumped back in her chair. "Well that went well." The nurse put her hand up to her temple and began rubbing. A deathly kind of headache was fighting to take permanent residence and she still had to drive them home. _Curse you mother. I love you but why can't you just accept that your little girl is in a relationship with a woman. Ok if not that why can't you accept that your little girl is her own woman and not going to follow what your idea of right is._

Sam quickly took her wallet out of her jacket and put some money on the table. She offered Abby a hand and the nurse gladly accepted it. Though they were in public she gently pulled the younger woman into a tight embrace just holding her. The petite blond just seemed to fit in her arms so well. The beautiful blond head lay nicely on her strong shoulder and her head rested gently on that blond one. Arms seemed to wrap nicely around each other and it seemed like this was what they had done a million times over the years. It felt right and it felt amazing. It made the detective never to want to let go.

After a short few moments they pulled apart. Sam pushed some stray long blond hairs behind an ear and smiled at her. "Been an interesting day. I think we need to go home and sit on the couch and veg for the rest of the night." That brought a smile upon the nurse's face. "Perhaps we'll start getting treats instead of all these tricks." She wiggled her eyebrows up and down and started to laugh right along with Abby. It did the tall dark haired woman good to hear her girlfriend laugh like that.

Abby put her arm through the crook of her girlfriend and they started toward the door. "You me a couch some popcorn. I think that sounds extremely good. And we've earned it." They walked out of the bistro linked together. They walked the short distance to the parking garage and got into the nurse's car. They drove in mostly silence but their hands never were apart. It seemed as if the touch of the other was the only thing that was keeping them going anticipating being snuggled up together.

The nurse stopped in the lobby to gather her mail as did Sam. They both tucked it away until they got to the apartment. It was a slow ride up to their floor which found them engaging in a lip lock and breathing quite heavily when the doors opened. An older couple looked at them oddly when they walked past them probably trying to not think about why they had been breathing so hard when they had just gotten off the elevator and not the stairs.

Both women burst out laughing as soon as they got into the apartment. They both knew most likely what the old couple was thinking and could not help themselves. Sam made her way over to the recliner and sat down putting her aching ankle up. The extra weight and the quick movement trying to keep her girlfriend's mother from toppling over had taken its toll not that she would tell Abby that. The nurse was getting them both a bottle of water and was getting Sam's pills around.

"Here you go Purrfect." Sam rolled her eyes at the nickname but knew she'd get even as soon as she told Abby her new nickname. "You sit and relax for just a bit and then we'll get out of these tight fitting costumes into something more comfortable." The detective nodded absently as she swallowed her pills and began sorting through her mail. Abby began to do the same. When she got to one rather long and thick envelope she let all the rest of the mail drop to the floor. "Sam?"

"Yes…" Sam was about to call her thumper but the look on her girlfriend's face caused her to stop in midsentence. "What is it sweetheart?" The detective had gotten up already and was quickly making it to the couch to sit next to her girl. Absently she picked up the discarded mail and set it on the coffee table. When she looked at Abby there was a look of wonder on her face and finally her eyes took in the large envelope in the petite woman's hand. "Is that…?"

Abby almost felt giddy at the thought of what was inside the envelope. But it was too soon. Even with an uncontested divorce it should have taken at least two more weeks to become final. But here she was holding an envelope from her attorney's office. The thickness made her heart skip a beat at what that most likely meant. "I'm nervous." Sam wrapped herself around her girlfriend and gave her a gentle kiss on the side of the head. That simple affection was enough.

The nurse carefully opened the envelope and carefully took the contents out and put the envelope on the coffee table. Slowly she unfolded the papers. Before Sam could even get a chance to even scan the pages Abby had let out a small scream. It had made the detective jump at the sound. Worry was on the dark haired woman's face when the petite blond turned toward her. "I don't freakin believe it! It's…It's…It's final!"

The papers went limp in the nurse's hand and the detective took the opportunity to take them from her hands. Sure enough the words 'divorce finalized' was on almost every page of the twenty page document. Sam got a goofy look on her face. Her thoughts went to earlier when she had said that maybe they were due for some treats. This was the greatest of treats because now their lives could go forward without the guilt of breaking the vow she had made to Kevin.

Sam put the papers down along with the discarded mail and gently put her hands on either side of Abby's face and turned her toward her. Green eyes were dancing they were so happy and if they had been paying attention they would have seen the fire and the desire that was building in the blue ones. But the detective got those feelings in check and instead just let the love and the happiness shine through instead. "That's something else."

As she said it Sam became suddenly very suspicious of the divorce becoming final so quickly. Not that she could really think of anything that anyone would gain by freeing up the nurse and herself to be free to be together with one exception. It was a pretty big exception in the detective's mind. _Why would they want me distracted? From what the captain tells me things are still up in the air but not so much pointed at me as they got Sierra instead. Why distract me at this point in the game?_

Sam came back to reality when her girlfriend had to actually wave her hand in front of her almost lover's face. "Earth to Sam!" The detective had a sheepish look on her face. "And now where did you just go on me?" At first the banter was lighthearted but then she realized that her girlfriend had gone into detective mode. She sighed but decided not to let the thought of something being wrong get her down. Not when there were treats to be handed out.

"Sorry. Was just thinking." Sam took one of Abby's hand to her lips and gently kissed it. "Guess I was thinking of just what this means for us." As soon as she said it she regretted it. Well not regretted it but regretted that she was implying that she expected that they jump in bed together when the ink was barely dry on the divorce papers. "I just meant that this is very good news indeed." This time she leaned in and gave a gentle kiss on the lips to her girlfriend.

The kiss that had started gently had quickly turned into something filled with love and with passion. It wasn't long before tongues were fighting for dominance and Abby ended up being gently pushed down on her back. Sam was sliding her hands along the sides of the nurse's body enjoying the feel of the soft fabric as much as the muscles she could feel because of the tautness of the soft fabric. The petite blond knew exactly where this was leading and couldn't wait and yet…

"Sam…" It was breathlessly that she managed to get out her girlfriend's name. Sam whimpered in response as the kiss was broke off and even worse she felt herself being pushed back up into a seated position. "Don't pout, Miss Purrfect. It's just that I have a little surprise for you. I seem to recall earlier that you said you thought it was time that we got our treats instead of tricks." The detective's face brightened considerably. "You just wait here and come to the bedroom when I call you."

Sam could actually be seen swallowing in anticipation. She didn't want to jump to conclusions but the way that Abby had said what she had was making her heart beat just a little faster. In fact the detective couldn't wait and decided to follow her girlfriend into the bedroom. When she tried to open the door she found that it was locked. "Really? You don't trust me to do what you ask you to? You have to go and lock the door on me?"

There was the sound of sweet laughter from the other side of the door. There were also the sounds of a lot of movement and it was causing the curiosity of the dark haired woman to peak. If her girl was doing what she thought she was…Her entire body began to tingle at the thought of what could possibly be happening soon. _Down girl! You may be dressed as a cat but that doesn't mean you need to start purring in anticipation. Wait until it's the real thing._

"I knew you'd be a little cheat." There were a little more sounds of movement before the sound of the lock clicking and then the door opened wide. The lighting was dim as there were only red and pink candles on the dresser and both nightstands. There was the smell of perfume, lilacs, in the air. There was soft romantic music playing in the background just barely audible. To Sam's disappointment Abby was dressed in a thick terry cloth robe. "Now you naughty kitty. It's time for you to get punished."

Sam was actually speechless. She had been anticipating something romantic she was certain of that. And the room was very romantic but her girlfriend in a terry cloth robe took away from it just a little. Still this was her forever standing before her and she knew that it was time that for once in a relationship to just totally let herself go. It would be all right because she knew that Abby would protect her heart with her life. "I hope that this naughty kitty gets to make Thumper thump later."

Abby stopped in mid motion of taking Sam's hands in her own. The nickname was one that she never would have thought of even if she had been dressed as a rabbit. It made her smile and she began to thump her one leg. "That was in anticipation for what I have planned for you and I'm sure you have planned for me. Now, follow me." The nurse took the detective's hands in her own and led her to the bed. She gently pushed until Sam was sitting on the edge.

The first thing the nurse did was kneel down careful to keep her robe closed. She carefully took the walking cast boot off her lover's leg and set it near the bed. When she looked up at her lover there was a desire in her eyes that made her shiver. No one had looked at her like that. And it made her feel good all the way down to her toes. Abby slowly stood and began to undress the tall woman. It wasn't easy because of Sam's height and because of the tightness of the material.

Her hands were brushing in all the right places and her lips were trailing small kisses wherever her hand had been. She could feel Sam's breathing picking up along with her own. Without being able to see her own eyes she knew that there was a fire in her own that would match the intensity of the look in the amazing blue eyes of her lover. "Now get on the bed and lay on your stomach." The tall woman hesitated a moment and gave her a little pout before doing as she was told.

Now Abby decided that it was time that she reveal part of the treat. Sam's eyes were on her and made sure that she could see her as best she could from the position she was lying in. "I know I'm making you wait but I hope you'll agree that the wait with be more than worth it." With that, the ties that were holding the terry cloth robe were loosened and the robe fell to the floor. The detective almost swallowed her tongue at the amazing sight before her. The petite blond was wearing a satin lacy black two piece nightie with spaghetti straps.

The look on her lover's face said it all and Abby knew that she had done well. After work a few days ago she had gone shopping with Emily and they had happened across this little number. Her friend had convinced her that this would be the best outfit to wear the very first time that the couple made love. It was almost like her friend had a gift for all things having to do with love. With Kevin she had never worn anything like this at least not after the honeymoon. She just never felt like pleasing him like she did Sam.

And Sam was very pleased. It was taking all her strength to keep from leaping off the bed and picking up Abby and throwing her on the bed. But she was allowing her girlfriend to be in charge and in a way very happy to do so. The nurse slowly got onto the bed putting both ankles of the detective across her legs. Carefully and slowly she rubbed both legs. When she got to the small scars on the injured leg she managed to lean down and kiss it gently.

The detective had never been treated to something like this before. Oh she had received a professional massage as a Christmas present one year and she had even had a girlfriend or two give her a quick massage but none compared to what she was receiving now. The feel of Abby's hands on her skin was enough to drive her insane let alone the actual manipulations. Her body was quite relaxed and feeling good. At the same time certain parts of her was far from relaxed and were gently humming.

"Turn over please." That got a gulp of anticipation out of the detective. Their eyes locked for a moment before Abby allowed her eyes to scan the entire length of her tall lover's body. Only truly having experience with another woman just one time she was still a little unsure of herself. But seeing the look of desire in her girlfriend's eyes was enough for her to get over that fear. "You are so beautiful!" It was said with a husky voice as she was now ready to do more than massage her lover.

In fact she carefully disentangled herself from Sam's body and discarded her silky lingerie. Sam licked her lips looking the now naked nurse up and down. "And you are amazing. I've never seen anyone that looked more incredible than you do." The nurse was almost at a loss as what to do. Again, no one had ever said those kinds of words to her and it was making her feel the most loved that she had ever felt in her entire life.

Carefully she got on the bed and avoided Sam's still injured leg. She was glad when it seemed that her lover read her mind and spread her legs apart. A moan escaped both of them as she pressed her heated mound against the wet quivering mound of her girlfriend. Just that simple touch almost sent both women over the edge. It seemed like everything that they were feeling inside had been building up. Not just over the short time that they had known each other. It was as if it had been building up over so many lifetimes.

Abby continued to slide herself against Sam making her way so that she was lying on her lover's chest and their breasts were pressed together. Their lips met and tongues danced. Sam's hands were roaming everywhere but kept going to the taught butt and giving it gentle squeezes. Abby finally broke the kiss and started to nibble on an earlobe and then the neck and made a trail down to the wonderful breast that was before her. One hand was cupping and squeezing one breast while her lips, teeth and tongue teased the other.

Alternating back and forth she found she was kneeling and it gave Sam's long arms access that she had already anticipated. One of the strong hands found her breast somehow and the other had begun to massage the moist lips that were craving to be parted. Abby straightened out so that she was looking Sam directly in the eyes. It seemed that once again they were communicating more with a simple look than they ever could with actual words.

Abby decided it was time and she took one hand and trailed it down to Sam's moist lips while the other kept massaging gently one breast and then the other. Both gasped as they felt for the first time the presence of the other inside their bodies. A single finger began to move around and tease and get juices all over to aid in the exploration. Their eyes locked at that moment not to have them break the gaze until…

It was as if the other knew exactly what spots to touch and what places were the key. It wasn't long before both bodies were rocking together in a rhythm as the thrusting of the finger began to increase in speed and in intensity. Both could feel that tightness around the other's fingers and they knew that soon they would reach that peak. Abby bent down and kissed Sam with all that she had. She kept kissing her as they rode out the wave after wave of the orgasm.

Abby needing to taste her lover began to lick her fingers off. She watched as Sam did the same thing. They then tasted the sweet juices as the kissed deeply and passionately. Finally after being spent after the long and stressful day as well as the sweet release the nurse snuggled up against the detective's body. As was their routine when they had snuggled in bed at night, the nurse had her head on the detective's shoulder and the detective wrapped protective arms around the nurse.

They lay there covered up and snuggling in the afterglow of their first session of what they both knew would be many times of lovemaking. They were feeling very good and feeling like they were finally officially a couple. They were the happiest they had ever been and their lives seem to finally getting back on track. Things were happening outside the apartment but all they cared about for the moment was each other. "By the way, Thumper liked very much Purrfect."


	14. Chapter 14

Another two weeks had gone like a blur especially for the new lovers. Sam and Abby just couldn't seem to get enough of each other. Melissa had been beyond thrilled to know that she had a new daughter to officially welcome in a couple weeks as the couple planned a couple days at the detective's mother's bed and breakfast. Of course that meant meeting with Adam as well as her brothers and the rest of the family. Not to the surprise of either the blond or the raven haired woman a certain newly retired police officer was also going to the inn to spend time with his new girlfriend for Thanksgiving.

Sam was now back at work though she was still relegated to mostly desk duty which was fine with her. While she missed being out on the streets her leg still gave her problems at times when she was on it for too long a time. Her physical therapy was actually weeks ahead of schedule. Of course that was because of a certain blond nurse that not only saw to her sexual needs but also her other needs as well. In fact, despite the lingering injury, the detective felt she had not been in this good of shape in a very long time.

Things had been a little too quiet on both the ex-husband front and the stalker front. When it got too quiet was when it got the dark haired woman's gut clenching. It always seemed that things were to happen when one was happy. It happened when she had her first crush and then Leslie had been forced back to China. Then she had been ecstatic about being accepted on the force in her home town. Of course that had ended in both pain and giving her something she probably never would have without it. It was definitely two fold.

Then there was getting settled into New York. Just as she was getting used to things she has her little accident. The whopper of course was meeting Abby. Never in her life was she happier then she was now. This was not a one night stand. This was not even a 'friends with benefits' scenario which the detective never could understand. This was the real deal. This was the woman that she was meant to spend the rest of her life with.

So if she was this happy then what was the next thing that could go wrong? Whoops! One should never even hint at those kinds of things. The computer beeped in front of her as she tried to stretch her long leg out. Not sporting the walking boot was wonderful although the cane was something she could do without. Still of the two evils the cane was better and it was only because the weather was turning nastier that her leg was as sore as it was. Winter had settled early on New York City.

The e-mail was one she had been waiting for. Susie had been going over a case for the homicide unit. By rights it should have been hers and her partner's case but there had been a pissing contest and one that her captain had lost. The victim was the girl that had reported the rape that Sam believed had started the whole mess. If she hadn't been the one to catch the case that night so many months ago perhaps she never would have been injured. And then maybe she wouldn't have met Abby.

That sent a shudder throughout her entire body. There would have been a chance they still could have met as Abby worked the ER from time to time but it would have taken longer. Or would it have? Sam was just happy that they had met. All the pain and frustration of the injury was worth it if for one thing. She finally knew more than just the definition of love. It was ingrained in every fiber of her being. It was the way that the nurse took care of her. It was the way the nurse looked at her. It was the way that they had made love.

Sam knew that she had to have the goofiest of grins on her face but didn't care. Feeling good, this good, was something she was not used to and she really didn't care if anyone teased her or not. Finally she got her head out of the clouds and managed to focus on work once again. She clicked on the e-mail and quickly scanned the contents. Clicking on the attachment she was glad she had not yet had lunch as the crime scene photos were very graphic indeed.

The detective was lost in her own world and didn't even smell the coffee that was sat in front of her. She never saw the stare that kept looking at her from across their joined desks. Finally a rubber band smacked her in the cheek and she looked up and growled at her partner. "You are so juvenile." Glancing around to make sure that no one saw her she picked up the rubber band. Her aim was truer as she hit her partner right between the eyes.

"Hey that hurt!" Detective Waters began rubbing the now reddening area. "You have amazing aim and amazing strength." The man was an inch away from death's door if he said what he was thinking. Since his partner had only been back for a week he decided to go for it. After all he had a lot of teasing to make up for. "I wonder if that nurse of yours is good at strength and conditioning. You seem in better shape since…"

The man was cutoff as a flurry of rubber bands pelted his face and neck. Steve picked up a file folder trying to shield himself from the furious volley that his partner was pelting down on him. Finally the tall woman ran out of ammunition and was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down her cheek. When she got a good look at her partner she burst out laughing again. His face was covered with red welts as was his hands. "Sorry bout that."

"Ha Ha! That I doubt." Steve had always suspected that his partner had a great sense of humor but before she had met Abby it had only come out here and there. This playful side that she had been exhibiting the past few weeks was new to him. Partly it was because her worry was less since nothing had happened in two weeks. Partly it was because, in his opinion, finally his friend had found what everyone seeks in life. Finally Samantha Walker had found true love and he couldn't be happier for her.

There was a clearing of a throat and Sam turned to see that the captain was standing in the doorway. He was glaring at both of his detectives. He stood there for a moment, winked and then went back to his desk. "I think we were chastised and praised at the same time." The dark haired woman laughed just a little more before she reached out to take a sip of the coffee her partner had so nicely given her. Her gaze went back to the e-mail. "Son of a bitch!"

Steve knew from not only the expletives but also the tone of voice that his partner had discovered something about what he didn't know. They had just wrapped up their last open case testifying and sending the creep to jail. They had been trying to catch up on paperwork and of course he knew Sam's favorite thing was to look into cold cases that were still under the statute of limitations. "What you been working on and what have you got?"

Sam roughly turned the computer monitor around so that her partner could take a look at it. Although Susie was just a lab rat she had access to autopsy reports as well as the actual physical evidence. Steve's eyes grew as he came to what his partner had seen on the screen. Once again she roughly turned the monitor back around. "A freakin' wild goose chase! All this heartache and pain was for nothing!" _Well almost nothing as now I have the woman of my dreams in my bed every night._ The thought calmed the detective down if only slightly.

"I can't believe she was a virgin!" Steve sat back in his chair stunned. Their rape victim that had ties to the mob and the reason that Sam had been setup to be silenced wasn't even raped. He began rubbing his temples when a though occurred to him. "Didn't she go to the ER for an exam?" Sam nodded. "You got that report in there?" Something was not adding up but if he was right it would mean that there could be more trouble for Abby in the future and he didn't like that one bit.

Sam scrolled through the long e-mail and the attachments that went along with it. Finally she came across what she was looking for. One click and the report from the ER were there. "Oh this is so not good." The detective sighed heavily. While it wouldn't directly get her into trouble, Abby was now back in the thick of things. The nurse had been the one that had started the exam along with her then husband Dr. Smith. Another nurse had taken over but it didn't say why.

A stray thought crossed the detective's mind. _We could have met that night._ It brought a smile to her face. _If we could have met that night I guess we could have met any night. It truly is like we were destined to be together._ Suddenly the detective had an overwhelming urge to see her girlfriend. Sadly she had to shove that aside as Abby was back on the ER rotation and worked afternoons this time. They wouldn't see each other until late that night.

The dark haired woman continued. "It seems that a certain doctor that I hate was the one that examined the young woman. He is the one that collected all the samples." Now it was Sam's turn to have both her hands rubbing her temples. The headache that was always there since putting her weight fully on her leg had grown from that annoying ache into a full blown migraine. "Someone needs to have a talk with Dr. Smith and the nurse that took over for Abby. I have to stay away for two reasons. One, I could be considered a suspect. Two, it deals with my current girlfriend. You up for a trip?"

Steve never hesitated a moment. He put on his overcoat of a jacket and grabbed his travel mug of coffee. Along with that went his notepad, his gun and his badge. "I'll talk to everyone involved from that night. I know it's not our case at least not her murder but it does affect one that was on the books. If the captain asks just tell him I went for take out." He winked at his partner trying to get her to smile. But until he talked to Abby he knew she wouldn't smile.

Sam watched her partner walk out the door. _Sometimes being thorough and wanting the truth are a bad thing. Still if this is true and her ex-husband is into something with the mob then that puts Abby in danger. If she was excused that night and started to ask around that could put her in danger._ The pounding in her head got worse and she was just about to scream when a text came in. 'Just leaving for work now. Gonna talk with Emily before shift. Miss and love you my hunk of detective.'

The detective felt some of the tension drain from her body. In fact she felt her migraine easing up just a little. 'Tell Emily that we still haven't gone on that double date yet. Asked her if she's scared to be seen with an almost six foot cop? Love and miss you my beautiful temptress'.

_Funny how just a few words from the right person can make you feel so much better about yourself and your life. Oh Abby! I don't think I could live without you. I know it's only been a couple months since we've been in each other lives but if something were to happen to you…_Sam could not let the thought continue. She pushed it aside but suddenly had a very distinct feeling that something very bad was about to happen. Usually her 'feelings' were never wrong.

()()()()()()()()()()()

Abby laughed at the reply that Sam had sent her. _Me? A temptress? I am no such thing._ The nurse was in a very good mood and had been since Halloween. It wasn't even because almost every day the two new lovers were finding different ways of physically expressing their love which was more than nice. No what really had her feeling so good was the fact that her job along with her personal life were seeming to be going very, very well.

There had been no threats or anything out of the ordinary. Of course she sensed that Sam wasn't too thrilled with that and it was more likely that something was building to come bursting out at one time. But the good natured nurse was just going to focus on the positive things in life. That meant that she was looking forward to spending an actual night with the detective. It wouldn't be alone as Emily had finally agreed to go on that double date which she had yet to tell Sam.

In fact they were meeting in the hospital cafeteria so that they could discuss their plans for the following night as for once all three women had the same night off. Of course she knew that Sam could possibly be called into work but hoped that it wouldn't come to that. As she made her way to get a coffee and a fruit bowl she heard a familiar voice. She turned and found herself staring into hateful eyes. While they had never held love, the nurse knew that now looking into Sam's eyes, they had never held hate like they were now.

"Abigail." Kevin looked down at the petite woman that had once been his. If he'd had his way she would still be his. By all rights she should still be his. But there was a piece of paper telling him that she was now free from him. For that he would always hate her. Hate that while he's at work he's basically just a laughing stock. "I heard that you've already moved on. Funny I don't think I'll ever be able to move on." The doctor let out a growl and then retreated, his white cast of his hand blending in with the walls of the hospital and his doctor's coat.

Abby actually felt a little light headed at the rush of unpleasant memories and the obvious threat. It was something she was going to have to share with Sam and she knew that her girlfriend would not be happy with the turn of events. A hand was on the small of her back and she was grateful to look up into the bright eyes of her best friend. Not even thinking about it she launched herself into a hug that was happily returned. "Oh, Em. I can't keep running into him like that."

Emily had not heard what had been said but knowing Kevin the way that she did that it was something bad as usual. The jerk so needed to get a taste of his own medicine and not the kind that he prescribed. The man was a menace to not only her best friend but any woman that was stupid or naïve enough to get involved with him. Her friend fell into the category of naïve and young and a hopeless romantic. From what she saw of her brief relationship with Sam she was being treated the way she should be.

The taller blond reluctantly pulled back out of the hug knowing that her friend really needed the support. After seeing the look on her face she knew that she needed more than the emotional support that a best friend could give and an idea was planted in her mind. That would come later when she was off duty and her best friend was unfortunately working away. "Were you getting coffee?" When Abby nodded she continued. "You go find us a place to sit. I know how you like it." She winked and could not help herself by adding as her friend began to walk away. "You like it tall and dark."

Abby turned around on a dime. She saw the impish look on her friend. Truth was she always liked her coffee tall and dark and… "You forgot very sweet!" That got the desired affect from both women as they were smiling. It had helped to remove the tension and uneasy feelings that seeing and especially talking to her ex-husband always gave her. She gave her friend a wink and decided to find an empty table in the back. She looked at her watch noting she still had almost an hour until her shift started.

It wasn't long before Emily had found her and had two tall coffees and bowl of fresh grapes. The taller blond took one of the grapes and placed it in her mouth. She watched her friend carefully as her shoulders slumped just slightly. The banter had helped but she knew that whatever it was that Kevin had said had really upset her friend. Instead of dwelling on the negative she decided to concentrate on the positive. "So is your tall dark and gorgeous woman ready for our double date? Simon I think is very intrigued by my description of your better half."

That got a raised eyebrow. To Abby there was nothing all that unique about her girlfriend and yet there was everything amazing and special about her. Having been with her now for a couple months she was used to the height difference and she was getting used to the fact that her job put her in constant danger. That was one of the few things that made it difficult to be with Sam. There was always the constant worry whenever she walked out of the apartment toting her gun.

Of course Sam had gotten hurt while driving so the gun thing was more mental than it was anything else. Abby pulled herself from those thoughts and decided to concentrate on the here and now though Kevin's words were still echoing in her head. "Actually she wanted me to ask if you were ready to for our double date. She said something about you being intimidated by her height and her job." The nurse could not hide the smirk that made its way to her face.

"As if!" Emily took a sip of her coffee. It was doing her heart good to see that her best friend was finally happy. She knew from talking a little to the detective that there still might be a threat out there. Of course being a cop always got you enemies. Even being a nurse, especially an ER nurse, could get you into trouble. That was something that you just lived with and hoped that nothing ever happened. "There isn't a man or a woman that intimidates me. You should know that by now."

"That's why I've never met any of your boyfriends until now." Abby knew she had one as instead of answering her friend took another grape and tossed into her mouth making a show of savoring all the sweetness that it had to offer. The petite blond burst out laughing. Her friend was too much sometimes but at the same time she was an amazing and loving person. Hopefully this would be the relationship that settled her friend down. "So, no response to that?"

"I'm selective." Emily took a sip of her coffee. She glanced down at her watch and cursed slightly. That made an eyebrow over an amazing emerald green eye raise. The taller blond rarely cursed and she knew that meant that her friend really was running behind somehow. "I've got to meet Simon in half an hour. I swear since meeting that man there are not enough hours in the day." She saw the understanding look on her friend's face and rolled her eyes. "I don't want to know what you are thinking." She leaned in and whispered in her ear, "If Sam is as insatiable as Simon you are one lucky woman."

When she stood back up she saw a now bright red petite blond sitting there. In fact she was the color of a fire engine. It made Emily laugh a hearty laugh. "Laugh it up my friend. See how funny it is when you make a comment like that around a woman that carries a gun and knows where you live." Emily simply rolled her eyes at the comment. While Sam had that 'tough cop' act down pat she had seen her interacting with Abby and knew that she was just an old softy at heart. "Tell Simon not to wear you out before our date."

"Funny." Emily picked up her coffee to go. "Since you got with Sam you've turned into a regular comedian. She's been a very bad influence on you." The taller woman saw a twinkle in the green eyes and held up her hands in mock surrender careful not to spill her coffee. "Oh no! I told you when you first told me about being into women that I want to know you are happy. I don't need the details. I am so outta here Sweet Pea."

With that Emily was off toward the entrance of the hospital. Abby glanced at her watch and figured that it was time that she made it to the nurse's lounge and get ready for her shift. She snagged the rest of the grapes and ate them with a contentment that had eluded her since the run in with her ex-husband. _Sometimes I wish he would just disappear. But he has a right to live his life as much as I do. Just wish he saw it that way._

The day seemed to drag on. Her shift was uneventful up until around her lunchtime when she got a very unexpected surprise. A messenger arrived with not one dozen but two dozen pink and red roses. Without even having to look at the card she knew who it was from. Sure enough, 'their beauty does not compare to yours'. It made the nurse blush. Just receiving the flowers like that made her blush but the words put her right over the top.

As she was arranging the flowers as they sat on the receptionist station at the main entrance to the hospital she felt strong arms wrap around her from behind. Knowing that touch now by heart she turned around to find her green eyes captured by blue ones. As always it took her breath away when she looked into those eyes. It was, as always, like they could look directly into one another's souls and knew that each had the other half. This was definitely a love that was meant to be and had been since the beginning of time.

"You are very sweet and romantic." Abby knew that her girlfriend was about to protest so she leaned up and was glad when she was met halfway in between. Their lips met first tentatively and then with a great deal of passion. There was a clearing of a throat and the nurse turned, breathing a bit ragged and her cheeks nice and rosy, to see the nurse on duty smiling at her. Of course there were a lot of people in the main lobby and petite blond groaned at the spectacle she had just caused. "I take it Emily talked to you?"

Sam nodded her eyes twinkling. It was hard for her to manage her voice as the nurse had once again done something to her that no one had ever done before. It happened the first time that they had kissed and it happened every time that they kissed. When the made love it was amplified to a degree that could not even be described it was so intense. Luckily for her it seemed that Abby didn't mind the strong silent type.

"You didn't have to do this you know." Abby indicated the flowers with a nod of her head. "But they are very much appreciated. You know it was just Kevin being Kevin. Unfortunately as long as we work at the same place this is bound to happen from time to time." The nurse felt the arms that held her stiffen just a little and she knew that was because her girlfriend hated the thought that they were having to put up with the man in any shape or form.

"I know." Sam wanted to talk to her about rectifying that situation but thought better about it at least for now. Perhaps after their trip to the detective's home town they could sit down and discuss exactly where they wanted to live their lives. The raven haired beauty knew the local doctor and one of the administrators for the small clinic there. It would probably not be a problem to get her girlfriend a job at either one. But that was for another day. "Just can't blame a girl for hating seeing her woman hurt."

"Your woman?" Abby loved the talk especially since she knew that her girlfriend was not that archaic but instead meant at as a teasing way of saying that they belonged to each other. "It's a good thing your woman knows that you are just joking or your woman would tell you that you'd be sleeping on the couch tonight." That got another clearing of the throat. Since her back was still to the nurse she rolled her eyes at the sound.

That got a small chuckle out of the tall detective. Once again she leaned down for a kiss only a quick one to appease the warden of the main floor of the hospital. "I'll be thankful tonight when we are snuggled up together that my very understanding, very loving, very amazing, very sexy girlfriend takes into consideration how I do love to tease." She wiggled her eyebrows and that caused another blush on the smaller woman's face. "I'll take the flowers home if you want. I can get them in water."

"I'd appreciate that." Abby leaned up a little closer so that only Sam could hear her. "Thumper will be willing to come out and play when she gets home if you are so inclined." When she leaned back she saw that it was her girlfriend's turn to blush oh so softly. The sound of the nurse's name being paged brought them crashing back down to reality. "Well they are playing my song, unfortunately. I'll see you in a few hours. Make sure you rest that leg."

"Yes mom!" Sam saluted her as if she were giving her orders. That got her a playful swat on the butt before the nurse took off back to the ER. The detective watched her intently until she was fully out of view loving just how there was the gentle sway of the hips. It was just enough to give her a sexy gait but not enough to be slutty. It was just another way that her Abigail was perfect. The detective scooped up the flowers giving the flustered redhead nurse a wink before she left the hospital. Little did she know in just a few hours she would be back and not for a good reason.

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Sierra walked with a noticeable limp still. Her left arm was still in a cast and she still had black and blue eyes that were hidden beneath dark glasses even though the sun was now about to set. She sat in a small café that was known for thugs rather than legitimate clientele. In fact if she wasn't mistaken this was one of her bosses, Elliot's holdings. Oh she knew now that he was her only real boss though she still worked for IA. Her time with Jenny was done and she was glad and would be glad to take the bitch down for what she did to her.

A tall man that looked so thin that he could squeeze through any opening approached her. In her mind she heard the line from a movie 'creepy thin man' running through her head but kept that voice right where it was. The man dropped to the seat directly across from her looking her up and down as he did. Without a word Sierra slid a large envelope to him. There was also a smaller envelope that was bulging slightly.

Not a word was said. The man opened the larger envelope first revealing a picture of Abigail Jones. He eyed the petite blond appreciatively before he opened the thicker smaller envelope. When he opened it there was a bundle of hundreds. His eyes widened at the amount. There had to be at least ten thousand dollars. That was steep just to give a woman a hard time. He wondered what the catch was but decided that it was going to be the easiest money he had made in a very long time.

Still not a word was said as he simply nodded agreeing to the easy job. Sierra smiled and got up and left the table. The thin man watched her limp out of the café. While he never asked personal questions when it came to jobs that he took he was really curious about this one. He pulled out the nurse's picture once again and he licked his lips. This was going to not only be the easiest ten thousand dollars that he had ever made it was going to be the most enjoyable as well.

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Abby was standing in the outdoor atrium of the hospital. It was after visiting hours and therefore the area was deserted. It was how she wanted it at the moment. Her day had taken a turn for the worse when a twelve year old girl had been brought in by her mother. The girl had not been raped but had been beaten pretty badly. In fact it was doubtful that the girl would make it. What really made it difficult was the fact that this was the tenth time in a three month span that the girl had been to the ER.

These were the cases that got to the nurse. These were the cases that wanted her to go into private practice or maybe away from the big city where cases like this still happened but not with the frequency that they happened here. Trying to give the mother comfort after finding out about the frequent trips to the ER was nearly impossible even for the compassionate nurse. In fact the last thing that she wanted to do was to go back into the hospital in fear that she would run into the mother.

The atrium was beautiful but not as beautiful as it was in the late spring and early fall. There were many kinds of trees and flowers and in the fall the trees turned their different colors. It gave the nurse a sense of peace and let her connect with nature. It was something that she rarely got to do as she couldn't remember the last time that she had left New York City. Spending even just a couple days at the bed and breakfast were more appealing by the second.

A part of her wanted to talk to Sam about living where they were. While the nurse would be happy no matter where they were because to her the detective was home, still she wanted something better and more peaceful than the life that they were leading now. There were a few loose ends that she knew that her lover would want to wrap up before they even contemplated such a big move but it was still something that was on her mind and that she would have to bring up in the very near future.

The nurse slowly made her way towards the entrance to the atrium her thoughts totally on the girl that had been brought in an hour ago. By now she would have been taken up to ICU if not…Well Abby didn't want to think about the alternative just yet. It happened every day in her profession but she still would rather not dwell on such things. Oh she would deal with it when it actually happened but before that she would just like to pretend that everything was all right.

Those kinds of thoughts made her wonder if that was why she had been with Kevin for as long as she had. Of course the nurse had nothing to nudge her away either. Meeting Sam had opened her eyes to a lot of things. There were things that she really didn't like about herself. There were things she didn't like about her life. When she admitted her feelings for the detective, if only to herself, it gave her another option. It gave her the strength to move on to something better.

The nurse was so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she was not aware of the tall skinny figure dressed all in black including a ski mask creeping along the shadows of the walls. Her thoughts now were on what was waiting for her at home and how comforting and how good that made her feel. She knew that there were a lot of people that were out there that had nothing to go home to or had what she used to have to go home to or worse. They had what that little girl had to go home to.

That was why the flowers meant so much to Abby. It could have been just a single flower. It could have been just a bunch of wild flowers. Hell it could have been a bouquet of flowers that Sam had cut out of a magazine and the nurse would have been happy. All she needed was the knowledge that whatever it was had come from her lover. That was all she would need ever in her life again. Fancy dinners and bouquets of flowers and box of chocolates were nice but never ending love that was the gift that kept on giving.

These were the thoughts that were going through her head when the man grabbed her from behind covering her mouth with a leather gloved hand. Abby tried to bite down as hard as she could but the gloves were too thick and too soft for her to get a good hold. For a moment she struggled until something that Sam had been teaching her had begun to run through her head. The man began to drag her still struggling body toward the rear exit of the atrium which led to the back alley.

Suddenly, she went very limp in the man's arms. The tall skinny man had thought he had really lucked out and that his prey had passed out on him. That was almost too good to be true. As they got almost to the door the nurse sprang into action. First she elbowed the man in the chest causing his grip to loosen slightly. Without missing a beat she took her foot and stomped as hard as she could on his foot. She was about to use the final move to try and break his nose as she turned around but instead he managed to backhand her across the face.

Stunned for a moment, the nurse didn't move fast enough as her attacker had regained his momentum and punched her fully in the face. Abby screamed out in pain as loud as she could hoping that she could get someone's attention. Though tears were streaming down her face and her vision was blurred the nurse reacted on instinct. She brought her knee up and connected solidly to the man's groin. It wasn't with a great deal of force as she was not at her best balance.

In fact it caused the nurse to fall on her back. Rolling over she began to crawl towards the entrance trying to call out. Her voice was hard to come by as she was certain that her nose was broken and breathing was becoming a problem. The man managed to get to his knees and was crawling after her. He got a hold of her leg only to find a foot solidly coming in contact with his face. He yelped as the heel of the foot found his nose. It was not enough to break it but enough to cause his eyes to tear.

Finally he had had enough. The attacker took out a police baton that he had and gave a very solid shot to the back of the petite blond's head. Satisfied when his prey was finally out cold, he began to stand. He was kneeling down to pick her up when he heard a commotion coming from the entranceway. The shouting of voices made him curse and he took off running out the back entrance leaving his prey and possibly his life behind him.

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Green eyes blinked open cautiously. They closed as soon as they opened as the pain hit her. Abby felt her head had been slammed into a brick wall repeatedly there was so much pain. Tears were instantly at the corners of her eyes. A gentle hand was there wiping them away. As carefully as she could she leaned into the touch knowing it anywhere. Knowing that Sam was here made all the difference in the world that was for sure.

"Hey, detective." Abby's voice was weak and it was tired but it was the greatest sound that Sam had ever heard. Finally green eyes managed to open. Instead of the bright light she was assuming was coming there was nothing but a beautiful warm face that was in her line of vision. There was worry and there was love in the blue eyes that looked into hers. It made her smile just a bit knowing that the one person on this earth that would fight till the death to protect her was here.

"Hey, Thumper." The nurse laughed just a little at the nickname. Sam sat down next to the bed waiting for the doctor and the nurse to come in. Emily, who had gone to get the doctor, had been the one that they had called as Abby had yet to change her emergency contact to the detective. Of course the tall nurse's first call was to the detective for two reasons. One, she knew that this was the one person her best friend needed. Two, she knew that Sam would use her pull at the station to get this handled with kid gloves.

Sam reluctantly let go of her girlfriend's hand and took a step back as two doctors and four nurses huddled around her lover. It was breaking her heart to see her lover in that much pain. _If only I'd stayed and not gone home. But it didn't happen until a couple hours after I left. I should have kept up with the security better. If I'd done a lot of things perhaps she wouldn't have to be suffering like this._ The detective had been through things similar to this but never with someone that she loved.

The doctors finished their examination going over a series of questions to determine the extent of her concussion. Luckily there had not been a skull fracture and with a day or two of bed rest she would be fine in that regard. Her nose was another thing. They had to reset it and it would be painful for months to come. The other problem that her girlfriend had was the fact that when she fell the last time that she had landed on her left wrist. Luckily it was just sprained and using a brace for a few weeks would make that good as new.

The doctors and nurses left telling her she needed to stay overnight for observation and that someone would be back in every ten minutes or so to check on her. Of course this was old hat to the nurse but she knew that by rule they had to say and do things just as they were. The nurse held out her hand and Sam was quickly at her side engulfing it in her larger one. Emily stood at the foot of the bed wanting to give comfort to her friend and yet give the two lovers as much space as she could.

"We have to got to stop meeting like this." Sam's husky voice rang out slicing through the tension filled silence like a heated knife going through butter. It was obvious to anyone that the detective had been crying. Even Emily that really was still getting to know her knew that the detective had been crying. And who could blame her? It wasn't every day that the person that you loved was attacked and ended up with a broken nose. "I mean I love you and all and I'd meet you anywhere. But broken things? That has got to stop!"

Abby smiled and squeezed that hand that had hers firmly in its grasp. "I'd rather keep meeting in bed if that's all right with you." That got a blush out of the detective and a clearing of the throat from the nurse's best friend. The petite blond turned her attention to the taller blond at the end of her bed. "Oh like it isn't something you haven't thought about Simon. Or done for that matter." The boldness of the smaller woman's statement caused both taller women to blush.

"Abby!" Sam was chuckling to herself. She was glad that her lover was in high spirits considering. Considering that they had no idea who had gone after her. Of course Kevin was a suspect but the detective doubted that he would be that stupid though wouldn't put anything past him. There was Leslie but she had been quiet almost too quiet. Then there was the possibility that it had nothing directly to do with the nurse and was a result of the attempts to keep Sam quiet.

Whatever the reason or whoever was behind it Sam would find out. What happened was just fueling her earlier thoughts about moving out of the hellish big city and back a little more security of the smaller town she grew up in. The detective was not stupid. She knew that crime happened everywhere. But not like in the big city. All she knew at that moment in time is if she ever got her hands on the person that did this or was responsible for this they would be lucky to be walking ever again.


	15. Chapter 15

It was almost two in the morning. Abby was resting as comfortably as she could with the minor injuries that she had suffered because of the attack. Sam was asleep in the uncomfortable chair that she had pulled up right next to the hospital bed. Their hands were clasped and both were dreaming of better times. For the nurse it was a day when they could be together and not fear attack or hurt. For the detective it was taking her girlfriend away from all this and raising their son together.

A man that was only about three inches taller than the petite blond and three inches shorter than the tall detective stood in the doorway. He knew that he was not supposed to be there this time of night. He also knew that the tall woman was not either though she was close to being the petite blond's spouse. That caused the man with sandy blond hair to shudder just a little. It was going to take a lot to get past his own prejudices.

Still the man wanted to get past them. Looking back at his daughter's childhood he knew that it had not been that pleasant. Her early years he hoped that she had been happy as he tried to spoil her but he also knew that he was not home as often as she needed him to be. The teen years were a nightmare for he and his wife. If they had only supported his daughter and not been so judgmental perhaps they would have a closer relationship and he would not have had to find out about his daughter's attack from one of the board members.

The eyes of the tall woman blinked open. Even in the darkness the coldness of the blue shown through. It was an involuntary act as he took a step back out into the hallway. Sam shifted in the chair and something was revealed that caused the older man's breath to catch. It was the unmistakable gun encased in a shoulder holster. His bluish green eyes stared at the cold steel that had been revealed before he managed to look back into the glacial blue eyes.

The deep husky voice that was barely a whisper also surprised the man. While the woman was tall and had a little bit of muscle to her, he never would have expected that tone of voice. "Can I help you with something?" Once again the smaller man was weary as a hand went to the side arm. He knew that she was just being protective but it was literally scaring him to death. The eyes squinted and a sad smile was upon the intimidating woman's face. "You're Mr. Ivy."

The man swallowed hard and decided that was a peace offering of sorts especially when he saw that the hand had quickly retreated from the fire arm. Slowly he made his way so that he was still about a foot or so away from the bed that his daughter was asleep in. "I'm Ethan Ivy." He held out his hand and almost squawked when he felt the power that went along with the grip. "I take it that you're Samantha Walker. You are my daughter's…" Though he knew who she was it was hard for him to verbalize.

Lucky for him the detective took pity on the man. She realized just how difficult it must have been for the man to come here and at least try to make nice. It saddened her that her girlfriend's mother had not decided to do the same thing. "I'm Abby's girlfriend." Carefully she extricated her hand from the tight grasp of the sleeping blond. "You do know that it is after hours." To answer her he eyed her with a questioning look. "It's good to be a cop sometimes."

That got a small chuckle out of the extremely nervous man. He watched as the tall woman stretched and though only three inches taller than him managed to look so easily down on him. Perhaps it was the fact that she was so confident that made her seem larger than life. Or maybe she was just the type of person that one just never messed with. "I could see that. But it's also a dangerous profession. Is that how she got hurt?"

Sam turned and looked at her girlfriend. They had given her some pain medicine a couple hours ago and they had knocked her out. For that she was grateful. Not to miss out on this chance meeting with her father but so that she could heal properly. The detective wanted to say with conviction that she and her job were not behind this but there was no way of knowing at this time. "Well it's early in the investigation and since I'm close to the situation I'm being held at arm's length. Sadly it is most likely because of me directly or indirectly. But there is another possibility."

Ethan waited for those expressive blue eyes to return to his own. He managed to capture the younger woman for a moment. It was not unlike how his daughter's green eyes were able to capture the blue ones. "Kevin." Sam nodded in the affirmative. "I never wanted her to marry him. I tried to tell her that I saw him one day at a restaurant. I saw how abusive he was to the staff. But she said to me he was having a bad day. But I could tell it was different. If only…"

The detective let the statement die for several moments as they stood in silence. The only sound was the heavy breathing of the petite blond woman. While she always had a cute soft snore it was now almost as loud as a drunken sailor because of the break. Yet Sam still thought it was cute and couldn't wait to get home and hear it in their own bed. "If only you had been more understanding in her teen years and maybe sought out guidance instead of judgment?"

The older man shrank just a little. His gaze could not meet the taller woman's. It shamed him just what he put his daughter through so many years ago and was probably still dealing with today. "If I had been more supportive perhaps she would have not been shamed into marrying the first man that showed her a little kindness." He stood a little taller. "Although you might not have met and been able to find one another like you did."

Sam actually chuckled softly to this comeback. The man looked like he wanted to scratch his head or his balls or whatever he was so confused by her small amount of merriment. "Sorry. I don't want to make light of what you are saying or the seriousness of Abby's injuries." She held out a hand and the slightly smaller man took it. "I should have done that before. To explain why I was laughing it's just that your daughter and I discussed something similar. She believes that we would have found one another anyways. Or that everything happens for a reason."

Ethan peered pass his daughter's girlfriend and looked at the soundly sleeping petite blond. His daughter had changed since the last time that he had really gotten a chance to look at her and he was not talking about the cuts and bruises. Her hair was a little shorter than he recalled. It seemed that she had gotten a little more muscular in her build. Even in her sleep she appeared to be more confident if one could tell that why someone slept. "She's always had a good heart. She's always been hurt easily."

"I promise to do everything in my power to never hurt her and to continue to protect her to the best of my abilities." Sam didn't have to look where those bluish green eyes were looking as she took in the pained expression on his face. "I unfortunately can't be there twenty four hours a day." She motioned to the cane that was leaning against the hospital bed. "And I too have not been at one hundred percent for several weeks. Once I am, the person that hurt the woman I love will wish I were still hurt."

"Don't say that." A mumble of a voice came from behind the pair. Sam was on one side of the bed and Ethan was on the other. Abby smiled sweetly up at her girlfriend and spoke without realizing that her father was in the room. "You don't need to do that. Just put him behind bars for a while." The detective saw the look on her face and knew what she was expected to do. Not wanting to embarrass her girlfriend's father she leaned down for a chaste kiss. "Well that wasn't what I was expecting."

Sam cleared her throat and motioned to the other side of the bed. Abby gasped in surprise when she saw her father standing there. Her cheeks were slightly red and now understood quite well why it was that her girlfriend had kissed her like a friend and instead of a lover. "Hello, Pumpkin." Ethan took his little girl's hand in his own. "I'm sorry it took you getting hurt to come see you. I was just getting to know your better half."

Abby was not sure what to say or do. She had been coming out of the grogginess of her sleep with just a little bit of pain. There had been voices and she was sure that one of them was Sam's but one was a man's and had not been sure who it could belong to. The only other man that would have been a bigger shock would have been her ex-husband's. "So you think she is better than me. That hurts, Dad. I mean I've been your little girl for how many years now."

Ethan relaxed at the teasing nature of his daughter. It reminded him of when his daughter was really young and they had teased one another. Then something had happened. Was it her growing up or was it he and his wife changing to fit into what they thought society wanted of them? True they had both been religious but at the same time wasn't love and forgiveness what was taught? "Just trying to get in good with the tall dark and dangerous one." He leaned in closer knowing that Sam could still hear him. "She's a little scary especially with the gun you know."

That got green eyes shooting daggers in the direction of her blue eyed detective. The glare continued for quite a bit before Sam managed to say anything. _And they say I'm the scary one. One look at those eyes and man I'm in so much trouble!_ "Sorry about the side arm, Sweetheart. I know how much you hate me carrying the thing around when I'm not officially on duty but you were just attacked. I'm not officially on duty but you were hurt. I don't trust anyone but me to be able to truly protect you."

The father watched the exchange with a great deal of interest. He wanted to make sure that the woman that his daughter had chosen to make a life with was good enough for her. While he saw the distinctive flares of his daughter's nostrils he knew that this tall woman was about to get unleashed a fiery temper that he had not seen since before the incident. Watching his daughter was melting his heart. Watching the detective he knew that his daughter's heart was safe. Safer than it had been with Kevin.

More nostril flaring and daggers were shot at the tall woman who actually seemed to shrink just a little under the scrutiny. "I see." Abby watched the woman she loved panicking almost. It made her smile and she held out her hand which got a sigh of relief out of her lover. "I know you are doing what you have to to protect me and I appreciate that. But remember, you aren't at a hundred percent health either. So please be careful and don't take chances. I need you too much."

That got a choking sound out of Sam. It was not that she felt she was being smothered. It was just that she had never been needed quite like she was with Abby. The closest was her mother and the rest of her family and Melissa was one of the most independent people that she knew. So really the only one that truly needed her before the nurse was her son and she had given him to her brother to raise. So there really was no one until this small but strong woman.

Forgetting that the older man was in the room, Sam sat down carefully on the edge of the bed. She took both of the hands carefully in her hand mindful of the sprained left wrist. Gently she placed them on her chest. Her eyes made sure that she had her girlfriend's full attention. "You feel that?" Abby nodded her head her mouth going dry. "There's a heart in there and it beats only for you. Until the day I met you I didn't even know I had a heart in there. Or a soul. Which also belongs to you."

A tear was at the corner of the nurse's eye. She sighed heavily. This was what love was about. This was what a relationship was about. This was what she had been destined her entire life to find. If things had not happened the way that they had then who knows when they would have found one another. But they would have found one another that were the only thing she knew. She gently pulled the woman towards her and a passionate kiss ensued. It went on for several minutes.

Air became an issue as was the sound of a man shifting his way and trying very loudly to clear his throat without seeming like he was clearing his throat. Both younger faces were bright red when they finally remembered that they were not alone. Sam turned so that she was looking at her girlfriend's father. "I'm sorry sir." She kept the hands snuggly in her grasp. "I do get caught up when it comes to your daughter. She means everything to me."

Ethan smiled. "You don't have to tell me." That got a tilted head in his direction. "I can see with the little looks you both give one another. The little touches." He cleared his throat before saying the next thing on his list. "The way you kiss one another." That got three rather reddish faces and a moment or two of silence. "Honestly I came here to see how my baby was doing. I wasn't sure if I'd run into you, Sam. But I'm glad I did. Now I have to go home and try and convince your mother that you are happy and that this is the best thing for you."

Abby knew that was easier said than done. She knew that her mother was quite set in her ways. In the back of her mind she had always thought that it was her mother and not her father that was the one that was being the bigot. But now she knew and now she hoped that she and her father could reconnect once again. "I hope someday that she sees that. Until then at least you are coming around a little. How bout you, me and Sam go to lunch or dinner or something one day soon? Mother's invited too but…"

Sam released her girlfriend's hands so that she could receive the hug from her father. "I'd like that very much, Sweetheart." The hug was tentative partially because of the years of distance and also because of his daughter's injuries. He stood up and offered his hand to the dark haired woman who readily accepted it. "I'm looking forward to getting to know you." He turned back to his daughter. "Looking forward to getting to know you both."

Abby smiled at him and Sam winked at him. The two women watched as he made his way out the door. That left the detective to once again sit next to the woman that she loved. They were holding hands in contemplating the events of the last couple of days. It was the taller woman that spoke first. "Well I can honestly say I like your father better than your mother." That got her a playful smack on the shoulder. "Seriously though at least he's making an effort. Still doesn't like the fact that I'm a woman too much."

The nurse smiled and nodded in agreement. "I think that not only was his conscience at being away from me so long getting to him but also that his health is starting to, well not fail, but catch up to him." Sam moved a stray blond hair away from her lover's eyes listening intently. "Mother did say the one time I talked to her about two months ago that father was cutting back on his hours. I think the stress is getting to him. Maybe he doesn't want the added stress of losing a daughter."

"Well he now has another kind of added stress." Abby looked up at her lover to see slightly mischievous eyes twinkling at her. The nurse looked at her questioningly. "He has not one daughter but two daughters to deal with." With a smirk on her face she quickly added, "One that carries a gun and knows how to use it." That got the detective a little poke in the ribs. That got the nurse one in return. Before either knew what was happening they were in an all-out tickle fest and it took the night nurse to come in and break it up.

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It was a week later. Jenny had finally realized the mistake that she had made. Before covering her son's tracks she had gotten a hold of the so called incriminating evidence but had never bothered to fully look at it. She had known who had accused her son and that he had no alibi other than the one that could be provided falsely by some of her men. It had been stupid of her not to look at the information before she had ordered done to one Samantha Walker what she had.

Siera had taken the brunt of her wrath on both fronts for the continued screw ups. And when she had found that she was in league with one of her biggest enemies she knew that she had to get rid of the IA agent. But that had not gone well either. The mob leader was sitting at her desk looking at several files and cursing. She was cursing because now she was stuck with an alliance with an insane woman that was obsessed with the detective, stuck with the mess that came with the cleanup and stuck with limited ways of dealing with Eliot Munson.

An idea was forming in her mind. It would take careful planning and timing but it could alleviate her of all her problems. With a week until Thanksgiving it would have to wait until the holiday. From her sources she already knew that the detective and the nurse would be going back to the small town of the detective's. That would leave all here back and New York open. A smile transcended the mob leader. _I will get out of this mess one way or another. I always do._

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Eliot Munson was standing outside one Kevin Jones apartment car garage. The doctor was rarely there. If he was not at the hospital he was at a bar getting falling down drunk. Tonight for some reason the man was actually on his way into the apartment and he was sober. The white cast on his the lower part of his right arm stood out in the shadows of the night. _Stupid doctor. Very stupid. I think it's time that you serve a greater purpose than what you have._

The mob leader made a motion and two of his men came out of the shadows in the garage that was attached to the apartment building. One came up and started to talk to him while the other put a white cloth containing chloroform over his nose. The very large man was rendered helpless in a matter of seconds. Eliot continued to watch as they dragged the man back to their dark sedan. They never acknowledged that he was standing there as they drove by.

Mr. Munson pulled out his cell phone. As was all his cell phones and his employees' cell phones were burner types that could not be traced. He called a certain number. "The drunkard has been abducted. Is the patsy ready to take the fall?" The man's lips curled into a sneer as he heard the response from the other end. "Perfect timing as always. Things are going as scheduled. Eagle out." The sandy blond slammed the cell phone shut.

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Abby was out on her own for the first time since she had been attacked and was feeling a bit nervous. She had her cell phone, her pepper spray and some fresh tips on how to defend herself. But it was time for her to get out of the apartment and without Sam. The detective was driving the nurse insane with her overprotectiveness but at the same time she was loving every moment of it. No one had cared this much for her ever.

But she needed to go out and she needed to get some things for their upcoming trip. The nurse had not been this excited about traveling in, well, since she had been in college and her parents had paid for her to go to Europe over the summer. That had been a unique but lonely experience. It was before nursing school and before she had met her best friend and before meeting her future husband. It had been a very lonely trip as it turned out. One that she maybe someday wanted to repeat with Sam by her side.

The nurse had never been to a bed and breakfast but knew exactly what to expect from the repeated stories that Sam, Melissa and Jeffrey had been sharing with her. Since the brief visit that her girlfriend's brother had surprised them with when the detective had first got out of the hospital she and the youngest brother had become fast friends. They had become 'text buddies' and were constantly in contact. It was wonderful as it was like she had a brother for the first time in her life. One that truly cared about her.

Now Robert Walker was another story. On several occasions she had tried to call, text or e-mail the man but he basically ignored her. From what Melissa had said the siblings had never really gotten along all that well. Oh Samantha and Jeffery were as thick as thieves when they were younger and that held as they got older hence why he had taken the responsibility of his big sister's son. Robert on the other hand would be there for family gatherings and inquire how his younger sister was but that was it. It had really come to an end after the gun incident and Leslie Wilson showing up at the family picnic.

The nurse could not blame him for wanting to distance himself after that had happened. But what about before that? After losing a father that they were all close to you would think that he would want to remain close to the remaining siblings. But no, the man had never taken to his younger siblings. That was all right with Sam but it was not all right with Abby. They were only going to be there for three days but she planned on making the most of that time.

Right now she was shopping for something that she hadn't shopped for in a very long time. Well not since she had gotten the little surprises for she and Sam for their first time of lovemaking. She knew that they would have at least one night at the bed and breakfast to themselves and she planned on making the most of it. The nurse was about to walk into the little intimate apparel shop when a familiar voice called her name.

Abby was a sweet and patient person but there were some people that just couldn't seem to understand when you told them that you were not available. Her one time lover was the definition of that kind of person for her. The nurse cringed inwardly but put on a happy face before she turned around to face the former redhead. "Hello, Amanda." She offered a hand but of course the businesswoman instead engulfed her in a big hug. _Glad Sam isn't here to see this._

Amanda held the slightly shorter blond a little longer than a friend should. It didn't go unnoticed by the nurse. As usual she held her good nature as long as she could before roughly pulling out of the embrace. She looked her one time lover up and down. _Damn you still look amazing even with the little dark circles under your eyes. I still say it's your girlfriend's fault for you getting beat up. With me you'd be safe and you'd be loved!_ "Damn girl you get better looking every time I see you."

The nurse, on cue, blushed a nice pinkish color. Unless it was something really outlandish Abby was finding that the only one that really caused her to blush a deep crimson anymore was Sam. Well also her girlfriend's mother could get a nice blush out of her. "Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself. What brings you here?" While not really caring she was always one to at least talk just a little before trying to politely extricate herself from an unwanted situation like this one.

"Were you going in?" Abby looked at the store and now she did blush a deep crimson. But the blush was for Sam and not for the business woman. "I'll take that as a yes. Here, allow me." The curly headed blond opened the door and waited as the nurse slowly made her way into the intimate apparel store. "I haven't been in a place like this since well since before I broke up with her." In the few weeks that Abby had been back in touch with the woman that was all she could get out of her about her ex.

It caused Abby to be a little concerned but pushed those thoughts aside. _You're just a little jumpy after what happened. Relax. She is just a friend. _She took in all the proffered goodies and was almost embarrassed again. But the thought of the look on her lover's face when she got a good look at her in one of the rather revealing outfits would be more than worth it. Immediately something in a light red caught her eye and she made her way over.

To her dismay she had a shadow and before she knew it Amanda was picking up the very outfit that she had been going to look at. As soon as she touched it for some reason it seemed that it was tainted as soon as the other woman touched it. Abby sighed heavily and it wasn't lost on the curly haired woman. "Sorry. I guess I'm intruding on a personal time. I'll just leave you to it then. See you when I see you." And with that the business woman was out the door.

Abby stared after the woman for several moments. Her mouth was literally hanging open. _What in the hell was that about? I mean, jeez. I didn't mean to scare her off. True I would rather not have an audience why I go shopping for something like this but at the same time…_ Her thoughts trailed off as her eye fell upon something that was perfect. And what was better it was a matching set. _It pays to shop in this part of New York._

()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Across town Sam was just finishing up with a suspect she had no right interviewing. She and her partner were supposed to be off the clock and home for the day. As much as she wanted to rush home to wrap her arms around Abby she knew that she was off shopping and taking some time to herself. While not thrilled that the nurse was out and about by herself she knew better than to argue the point at least too much. Sleeping on the twin bed or the pullout bed was not her time idea of a good time.

The cane was making a clicking sound on the wet sidewalk as she moved along. A snow had fallen but the temperatures were not quite below freezing and so the snow had not stuck. Of course the heat from the subway and sewers below also kept the snow from accumulating as well. Sam walked along not even thinking where she was with the exception of the shortest distance to get to her car when a store caught her eye.

The detective made her way in surprised that it was open as late as it was. There was a lot of flashing and twinkling from the strategically place overhead lights. It was not a place that she had ever thought that she would go to but something had made her look over and therefore something was telling her that this was the right place to be. If not at Thanksgiving maybe at Christmas or New Year's she would be able to have something very special to do.

Sam was looking at all the rings and not knowing one from another. It would have to be something that compared to her girlfriend's beauty and that was going to be hard to find. The detective kept a tight grip on her cane as she went from display case to the other when a male voice called out, "Let me know if you need help with anything." The raven haired woman looked up to see a man in his fifties that had gray hair at the temples. The rest of his hair and mustache were light red in color.

The detective smiled at the man and held out her hand. "My name is Detective Samantha Walker." The man took the hand that was offered. She noticed that the grip was not the strongest and instantly wondered but pushed that thought out of her mind. _This is for Abby. No screwing it up, Walker!_ "Let's just say this wasn't a planned trip but I have a very special person in my life. We've only been dating for a few months but I know she is a keeper. I, um, am new to commitment and have no idea where to start."

"My name is Harold Ackison." The man smiled at the younger woman. "I've been with my partner for almost ten years now. We got married last year." He winked at her and she knew that her first instinct about him had been right. "So, you're a cop that's in love and wants to make a commitment. How romantic. And a first time commitment. That's even better. So, tell me about your partner. It helps if I know a little about the person to help with the selection process."

Sam pulled out her cell phone and showed the man a picture of Abby and he squealed in delight almost hurting the detective's sensitive ears. "Well as you can see she is stunning. She has shoulder length blond hair and has green eyes. Her skin is not white but not tan either. But most importantly she is the kindest, sweetest, most generous and loving person I know." She paused for a moment and decided to go with the joke. "She has to be to put up with the grumpy person that I can be."

Harold smiled at the younger woman. Instantly he was reminded of the man that was waiting for him at home. A more tough and stoic type and yet so caring that it sometimes could be overwhelming. "I'd say that your girlfriend is a very lucky woman. Now, let's see what I can come up with now shall we." The man started to sort through the trays. He found one that was of the more moderately priced rings but still very beautiful. "I think with her green eyes this would be perfect."

The detective took the ring in her hand and looked it over. There was a pale emerald stone that was surrounded the entire way around with tiny little diamonds. The band was narrow and it would fit the petite fingers of the nurse perfectly. "This one does seem perfect. Um, since I wasn't planning on this I'm not sure of her ring size. Is that going to be a problem?" _I should also get it inscribed with something. Gotta think of that as well._

"Not a problem at all, my dear. We do resize rings for free. Although if you want to wait until you get her ring size I would understand." Mr. Ackison clapped his hands together before he took the ring back. He placed it into a red velvet box. "I can hold it with a deposit today for as long as you'd like. Then we could have it sized properly and if you want, an inscription?" He made his way to the counter and pulled out the proper paperwork.

Sam followed him the sound of her cane echoing on the marble floors as she made her way to stand on the other side of the older man. He pulled out an ordering book and had the detective fill out the information. When he saw the words that she wanted on the inside of the ring he looked up at her with almost a reverent look on his face. There was a slight tear in the corner of his eye. "Wow! You are a romantic. Now I hate to spoil the mood but…"

The detective understood. She knew that as much as this man was a romantic at heart just as she was she knew that business came first. "Is a personal check something you still take?" The man looked at her. After having told her the price he was sure that she would have wanted to either put it on a credit card or set up some kind of payment process. But this was even better. The detective snorted at the greedy look on the older man's face.

Sam was now on her way to the apartment when her phone went off. The picture that showed up put a huge smile on her face. "Hey, Thumper. How'd your day go?" There was one person in the world that no matter what could put a smile upon the detective's face. It made her smile just to think about the fact that she was going home to the sexiest nurse on the planet. Her car came to a stop at a red light waiting to hear how her girlfriend's day went.

"Oh I had a very good day, Miss Kitty." Sam laughed at the nickname. The names that had somehow stuck from their time at Halloween. "I missed you like crazy and let's just say that I have a surprise or two for you. But you have to wait until next weekend." The groan that came through the phone made the nurse laugh. "Trust me when I tell you it'll be well worth the wait. At least I hope that I'll always be worth the wait."

The detective picked up on a slightly sad note in her girlfriend's voice. She hated it whenever Abby was even a little sad. Part of her wanted to surprise her with the fact of the ring that was waiting for her but knew that there were other ways that she could cheer up the petite blond. "You were worth waiting a lifetime for. Never forget that, my little Thumper. Why don't I stop and get us something to eat. Perhaps something you haven't had in a while and is your favorite?"

Instead of the detective purring it was the nurse that was purring out loud. "I don't deserve you!" She knew that would get an argument but she didn't care. Abby was so in love and happy for the first time in her life that she really was sure that she didn't deserve the detective. "I'll give you a treat if you bring me one." It was out of her mouth before she could even stop to think about it. They had yet to make love since the attack Sam wanting to make sure that her body had healed enough to handle everything.

"I look forward to it." Sam smiled into the phone something that the nurse could actually feel. "I'm going to let you go. Traffic is a little thick. Don't want any more traffic incidents. I love you, Thumper." The detective smiled as she heard the 'I love you Miss Kitty' before the line went dead. It took ten minutes to get to somewhere it should have only take five but the raven haired beauty considered herself lucky with the sudden influx of traffic due to an accident.

Sam was on her way out of the bistro that also had some sweet cakes that Abby loved almost as much as she loved the detective. A familiar figure stood blocking her exit and several other patrons from exiting. "Um, hi Amanda. Is there any way we could take this someplace else." The taller woman glanced over her shoulder at the waiting people. "I don't like being rude to people." It took a moment before the curly haired blond made her way out on to the sidewalk with the raven haired woman following.

Amanda looked the tall armed woman up and down for several moments before she spoke. "You've got her completely snowed." Sam looked at the woman in complete surprise. "You're keeping her prisoner. I can't believe she feels like she can't even be seen with me. We were shopping and said that you wouldn't like her keeping company with anyone but her."

Sam would have scratched her head if she could. There was no way that she would ever say anything like that to Abby. In fact she knew that her girlfriend didn't have a lot of friends that she felt comfortable going out with. Emily was her best friend. While the detective really didn't care for Amanda she would never keep her from spending time with her. "I don't know what you are talking about. Abby is free to spend time with anyone that she wants. I'm not her warden. I want her happy."

"I don't think so. I'm going to tell Abby what you just said." The business woman started to take her cell phone. Somehow Sam managed to get her bundles in one hand and grabbed the curly haired blond's wrist. It wasn't roughly but it was with enough force to cause her to stop in mid motion. "This just adds to it. I can't wait to tell my friend what you are. You are nothing but a beast." Amanda wrenched her wrist free and walked briskly away.

The detective contemplated exactly what had happened the entire way home. It was a slow drive as traffic was a nightmare even at the late time of night. She knew that by the time that she got home that Amanda would have told her side of the puzzling story. So when the door was opened for her and there was an angry look on Abby's face she knew that the business woman had indeed told some hogwash of a story.

"You don't think I have the right to have friends?" Sam heard the tone in her girlfriend's voice and cringed. She managed to get the bags of food over to the counter. Usually the sweet and tender nurse would have been glad to help her. "I'm waiting for an answer. Or do I even get an explanation for you roughly grabbing Amanda? It left a bruise on her you know." The petite blond was standing there tapping her foot waiting for an explanation.

Sam sighed. "You really think I want you not to have friends?" Abby continued to tap her foot. "You think I would hurt anyone on purpose?" The tapping was starting to grate on the detective's nerves. "You would believe some person you just found after how many years that you really had only a brief relationship with over your girlfriend?" The tapping was now driving her over the edge. She shoved the food across the counter almost causing it to end up on the floor. "I don't believe this."

Abby watched her girlfriend as she stormed out of the room. Instead of going to their shared bedroom she went into the second bathroom and slammed the door. It wasn't long before she heard the running of the shower. The nurse sat on one of the bar stools. The smell of the food and then the sweet cakes made her cringe. _I think you just screwed up, Abby. You should know better. But I can't apologize to her now. Or can I?_


	16. Chapter 16

It had been a chilly evening. And that was not including the temperatures outside. Another dusting of snow had left their mark on the streets of New York but that was not what was making a certain apartment so frosty. Abby had been glad that Sam had eventually come to bed but when the taller woman had slept so close to the edge it felt like the Great Wall of China had come between them and there was no climbing over it.

After reviewing all that the nurse knew she could not blame her lover. If she had actually had Amanda come and shown her the bruise on her wrist that would have been one thing. But their conversation had taken place over the phone and it was her former lover's word against someone she thought of as more than a lover. Sam was her everything. Sam was the other part of her soul. Sam was the reason to get out of bed or in some cases stay in bed.

All Abby could say was how completely and utterly stupid that she had taken someone's word, a person that had just acted weird with her, over someone's that she completely trusted. A page alerting her that she was needed in one of the rooms broke her mind out of her chastising herself yet again. Or should it be said still. Ever since she had seen the hurt look on her soul mate's eyes and heard the slamming of the bathroom door. She sighed as she made her way to the nurse's station.

To her surprise Emily was standing there. Though they were both on the clock she could not help but take the slightly taller woman into her arms. Abby needed a hug and if she couldn't get it from Sam at the moment the second best person would be her best friend. "So, have they let you out of the ER?" She hesitated taking in the time of day. "Wait. You were working nights, weren't you?" Now confusion was clearly written across the petite blond's face.

Emily smiled at her friend who was so cute when she got confused. "Well I was and now for the good news. We are no longer being rotated." The taller blond was beaming from ear to ear. "The administration board finally listened to enough of our grousing and decided that we get to choose, by seniority of course, which area of the hospital you want to work in and which shift. The newbies are hating it cause most are stuck on nights and the ER. It starts in a month but I got to choose already. With Simon working long hours for me it's anything but nights."

"So Simon factored into this." The pair had begun to walk down the hall after Abby had picked up the chart of the patient she had been paged for. Why it was at the nurse's station and not in the room made her wonder a bit but it happened every so often. "I didn't know it was that serious." When her friend shot her a look the petite blond smiled. "Well you've never had a boyfriend that's lasted over a month and never tried to work your schedule around him."

The taller blond thought about it and realized that her friend was absolutely true. "I guess you're right. We're even going upstate somewhere for Thanksgiving. Neither of us really do anything with our families and you already have plans with Sam and her family." The nurse shrugged at the look that the smaller woman gave her. "At least I won't be alone. And he said the place he's taking me has a country feel but at the same time is really nice. That's all he would tell me though."

"Not much to go on." Abby had gotten to the room. "Well I'll see you around. Maybe we can have lunch or find five minutes to talk. I, um, well…" She sighed heavily. "I screwed up and we had our first argument." At the look of real concern on Emily's face the petite blond quickly continued. "It's nothing real serious except that I kinda gave the impression I didn't trust her." There was a confused look on the tall blond's face. "I'll explain later. Then maybe you can help me come up with a way to apologize."

"I always love to play cupid so why not?" Emily hugged her friend one more time before the smaller woman entered the room. She couldn't help but think exactly what her friend had done. It was not like her not to trust completely. Even after all that Kevin had put her through she still managed to have a heart of gold and to keep her heart on her sleeve. Had she been a betting woman she would have guessed Sam would have screwed up first. But then things were not always as they seemed.

Abby made her way into the room. There were no sounds of monitors or of an IV dripping. To her ears those were natural sounds and without them it made her suspicious. It could just be her recent experience in the very hospital that she was working in or it could just be normal paranoia after what happened with her husband. As she pulled back the curtain a couple of strong hands grabbed at her and pushed her onto the empty hospital bed.

For a moment the nurse was happy thinking that somehow Sam had managed to sneak away from her many interviews she had planned for the day. But then she realized that the weight upon her wasn't right and the perfume was stronger. Her detective wore only a light lilac scent while on the job. This was something of the more expensive variety and was actually making the petite blond a little nauseous. Panic started to set in especially when the woman got her bad wrist in a tight grip.

A cry of pain escaped Abby and the woman that was on top of her pulled back a little. It was enough so that she could see curly blond hair cascading down upon her. There was a haze of desire in the eyes that looked down at her. The sandy blond's chest was heaving as she was now out of breath from her trying to placate her overwhelming need to have the nurse once again. But when she had heard the pain coming from her former lover she had pulled back.

Enough so that Abby could take the heel of her good hand and thrust it soundly into the nose of Amanda. The curly blond rolled off of the petite blond and fell to the ground. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and her nose was bleeding quite profusely. This time Abby's nurse's instincts did not come into play as she tried to take in what just happened. The petite blond managed to get a good look at both Amanda's wrists and her heart sank. "What the fuck do you think you are doing?"

Amanda sat holding her nose as the blood continued to gush down her hand and onto her very expensive tan business suit. Blinking the tears away and trying to be able to focus her vision on the multiple Abbys she shrugged her shoulders. Her voice came out muffled and hard to understand. "I thought after yesterday that we had an understanding. I mean especially after what happened between me and Sam. I thought you'd be open to this."

Abby was still sitting on the bed rubbing her wrist for all that it was worth. She knew that even with the brace that her former lover had managed to sprain it once again and it was now throbbing like crazy. As soon as she could she would have to find some ice to put on it to alleviate the swelling and hopefully the pulsating pain. "I think you need mental as well as medical attention. I never gave you the signals that I was interested. I am with Sam. She is my soul mate. While we might have fights from time to time we will always be together. And I am a woman that commits to one person. Not multiple partners. Got it?"

The curly blond woman sat there blinking several times. She sighed as she managed to stand. There was a Kleenex box on the stand next to the bed and took a couple to help try and stop the bleeding. It was happening again. She sighed again and looked at her friend apologetically. "I, um, I've done this before. Where I just don't know how to take no for an answer." She was now leaning against the stand trying to maintain her balance. "I stopped going to my therapist. Thought I was past being…"

The nurse smiled with at least a little understanding of what her friend had gone through. Abby had done a rotation in the psychiatric wing of the hospital and had seen some extreme cases of this kind of behavior. They were all smart, funny and normal human beings other than one major flaw. They felt that they were worthy of love and not necessarily would resort to rape but would become obsessed with an individual often acting out their fantasy. "There will be no hard feelings on my part if you only promise to resume your therapy."

Amanda took the tissues away from her nose glad to see that the bleeding had stopped. She tossed them in the waste basket before turning back towards her friend. By the sound of it she still had a friend and was eternally grateful for that fact. "I'll schedule an appointment first thing Monday morning." Then she nodded to the chart. "That could get me in some major trouble, couldn't it?" Still feeling a little woozy the businesswoman continued to lean on the stand.

The patient's chart had fallen to the ground in the little struggle. Abby had forgotten about how she had been lured into the room. Of course the still pulsating wrist was making it difficult to think about anything at the moment. She bent down and picked up the scattered pages and put them on the bed. Quickly she put them in order and saw that the patient had died sometime last night. That was another creep factor that was making it hard not to bolt from the room. _She planned this. Since last night. Creepy!_

Abby took her time trying to get her mind settled before she faced the curly haired blond once again. There was a look of regret upon her former lover's face and it melted her heart just a little. Still what she had done could not be overlooked. This was something that could come back and get the nurse in trouble. That was the last thing that she needed. "I'm afraid I've got to tell my supervisor about this and probably security. You took a patient's chart! And the fact that it was a person that had died does not make it any less of a problem."

Amanda sighed heavily. It wasn't the first time that her mental issue had caused her trouble with the law. It was something that had plagued her since she was a teenager. Truth be told she probably would have gone after Abby back then except that both of their parents had stepped in and contact had been totally cutoff. It wasn't until she was twenty five that she had realized that she had this overwhelming need for approval and then for intimacy. It had cost her a few relationships over the years. "Let's go."

The twosome made their way back to the nurse's station where it was clear that Abby's supervisor was on the warpath. The petite blond cringed as she knew exactly how upset Nurse Butthead, whoops, that's Nurse Buttons could be. As soon as they were within earshot she could hear the words 'AWOL' and 'duty' and 'responsibility'. She knew it all was being said about her. Luckily for her Emily was standing there already defending her.

In fact, Nurse Butthead closed her mouth at something that Emily had said making Abby smile. She tried to wipe the grin off from her face as she was now face to face with her supervisor. Her tall friend winked at her from behind the dark haired stout woman. "Mrs. Buttons, this is Amanda. I believe she has some explaining to do that might require security. Oh and here is the missing chart that I believe you were saying I was being irresponsible for taking." She shoved it roughly into the older woman's hand wincing at the pain in her left wrist. "Now, I'm going on break. If you need a statement from me page me!"

Without waiting for a reply the petite blond took off for the elevators. She felt a shadow come up behind her and she knew that it was her tall friend. Abby pushed the down button and waited for the elevator and for her friend to speak. Of course Emily was the first to crack. "Are you ok, Sweetie?" Without waiting for a response the nurse took the injured left wrist of her friend into her hands. A hissing sound came from her friend. "Are you going to tell me how you sprained your wrist again? I think it's worse than before."

Abby sighed. It was worse than before and that meant that her wrist would be sore when it came to Thanksgiving. It wouldn't hurt their plans too much. It would just altar them some. Part of her wanted to be pissed off at Amanda and was. But part of her knew when someone had emotional issues and at least in the past had tried to overcome them they needed support not anger. That was going to be hard to rein in when Sam found out. And she was going to tell her everything. Tonight. Romantic dinner. Candles. Flowers though the detective claimed she hated them. Maybe something sweet for dessert.

The elevator door opened and closed without Abby even realizing it as she had gotten caught up in the thought of exactly how she wanted to make things up to her lover. It took Emily literally shaking her gently before she got her wits about her. She smiled sheepishly. The taller nurse just shook her head and rolled her eyes. "I don't think you are going to need any help from cupid if that look you just had on your face is any indication. In fact I hope that Sam can handle all that you have to dish out."

"Oh she's really good at receiving all that I have to give." As a slight blush crossed her friend's face the usually shy when it came to the subject of sex could not resist teasing her friend just a little. "Of course she's just as amazing at giving to." Now Emily's face was as red as a fire engine. Abby was enjoying the look on her friend's face. But she was afraid that she had crossed the line and quickly added, "I'm sorry. That was a little too much information. I'll try in the future to behave."

Emily was swallowing hard and it was as if she had something in her head that she could not let go of. She leaned in close and whispered in her friend's ear. "Ok. I'm as straight as they come. You know that. I know that. But when you just put that image of Sam in all her glory in my mind even I, um well, let's just say it got really hot in here all of a sudden." She pulled back as the elevator had stopped once again at their floor. "You have nothing to worry about but damn girl you are one lucky woman!"

Abby held out her hand so that she could hold the elevator door. "You can only imagine just how lucky." She winked at her friend as she stepped onto the elevator. "I'm the one that gets to live the fantasy. Every single day I get to come home to the most beautiful woman in the world. And I have to make sure that she knows I know." With that she released the elevator door and descended down to the main floor. Instead of her usual cup of coffee she decided it was too warm after thinking of Sam and decided a nice glass of ice cold chocolate milk was just what she needed.

All the time she was on break her mind was racing with the way that she could surprise Sam and make it up to her. Unfortunately because she was on the afternoon shift and her lover was still on the day shift it would mean that her girlfriend would beat her home. Emily was on the second shift too so she couldn't even ask her for help. There was no one that she could reach out to and get the apartment the way that she wanted. That's all right. She could still surprise Sam. And she would.

()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Mom!" Sam was pacing around the apartment on her cell phone with Melissa. She had long ago discarded her cane. To her, her leg was healed fully and she no longer needed it. Of course if her mother or Abby were to see that she would be in so much trouble. But with the nurse it would be a good kind of trouble. She hoped. After what had happened the night before she was not sure how the nurse felt about her. Trust was a difficult thing and it had been sorely cracked but not broken. "I did nothing wrong! Ok, maybe just maybe I shouldn't have grabbed her wrist but still…"

A sigh could be heard probably to the Mexican border through the cell phone. It was not that she did not believe her daughter. In fact, her daughter had never been accused of excessive force in her entire career as first a police officer and then as a special victims detective. Even if she had left a bruise it was because the other woman had done something to deserve it. "All I'm saying is that you need to be the one to beg for forgiveness. Abby was just reacting because of her heart of gold. That's all. Not that she doesn't trust or love you."

The detective leaned her aching head on one hand. _Why did I call my mother again? Why didn't I call Susie? She's my best friend. But no I have to call Mom who loves Abby more than me._ Sighing she said, "How is it you're on my girlfriend's side? I mean I did nothing wrong. Not that Abby did either exactly but still. Isn't blood supposed to be thicker or whatever?" The detective's temples were literally throbbing from the pounding headache that was attacking her with a vengeance.

"Honey, honestly." Melissa was smiling. She knew that what was frustrating her daughter wasn't the fact that her mother was sounding like she was more on her girlfriend's side. It had to do more with the fact that it was their first fight. Sam's other relationships never got to this point and knew it was a first for her. _Not that I ever want to see her hurting but this is what should have happened during her teen years. Just something simple that can be worked out easily._ "I do love you. Both. Equally. I'm just saying that I understand her side and yours and that I want you two happy. So what does it matter who is the first to apologize?"

_Damn! Always sneaky with logic and all. She's right, you doofus. You love Abby. She loves you. Things like this are bound to happen from time to time. You just have to have the guts to be the one to say that you are sorry even when you did nothing wrong. Hmm. That's not so bad now is it? Besides, there is always makeup sex._ That got a very goofy look on Sam's face. It also kept her quiet for the longest of times. Her mother was calling her name and she never noticed.

"Samantha Elizabeth Walker!" Melissa's voice finally broke the detective out of the sex induced haze that her mind had come under. Sam blushed all the way to her toes. It wasn't her fault that Abby was the most beautiful, most sexy woman alive now was it? Finally the elder Walker heard a throat cleared and knew that she had her daughter's full attention. "I'm not even going to ask where you just were. Just remember that you can only take so many cold showers until she gets home."

"Mom!" Samantha felt her cheeks burning from the embarrassment. Sometimes, just sometimes, she wished her mother wasn't quite so comfortable with the fact that she was a lesbian and worse comfortable with the fact that her daughter was in a loving relationship that the couple showed it as often as they could physically. And yet it was a good thing. "I'll have you know that I rarely if ever have to take a cold shower." _Hopefully that will shut her up. Hopefully it doesn't…_

"That's great! I always figured that Abby was insatiable. There's something about those petite blonds that seem to have an abundance of energy." Melissa heard the groan as her daughter's remark backfired and in a grand way. "Although the way you were growing up you always had this inexhaustible level of energy as well." There was just a beat before the innkeeper continued. "Just another reason that I think the two of you make the perfect couple."

A groan so loud came from the detective causing her mother to have to pull the phone away from her ear. Another groan as the first one was met with a round of laughter. "You are enjoying this way too much! Are you like this with Robert and Jeffrey? Heaven help them if you are." Sam had finally had enough of pacing and had thrown herself onto the couch. The clock on the wall told her that Abby still had another hour to her shift. That made her want to go to the hospital and make up now. But she had to hold back, didn't she?

"Honey, I'm not like this with them and especially not Robert. That brother of yours is a stick in the mud. I don't know how he fits into this family sometimes." Melissa sighed a little at the thought. Whether it be that he was the oldest or that his father's death was the hardest on him the innkeeper never knew for sure why he was so cold to everyone except his wife and children. "Jeffrey would simply play along and enjoy giving as good as he gets. You on the other hand just can't handle your mother talking about sex. Which reminds me, have you talked to Jared lately? He's coming up next weekend for the holiday."

Sam leaned back on the couch her face so red it was actually almost a purplish color. While she was glad that her mother had a new beau, something that had not happened since her father's death, it was still a little embarrassing thinking of your mother having those kinds of relations with anyone let alone someone you worked with. "He's been watching after Abby a little on his own time. But other than that he's been busy at work."

Melissa caught how her daughter didn't say anything about the upcoming weekend. She sighed heavily. She knew that her daughter was sensitive. Most saw her as the strong silent detective but not her mother. And she knew that Abby saw past the tough detective routine as well. "I hope it was all right to invite him. I don't want to make you or Abby or your brothers feel uncomfortable. It's just been a little while since we've seen one another…"

Sam quickly interrupted her mother. "Sorry, Mom, if I made it sound like I wasn't happy he was going to be joining us." She sat up on the edge of the couch. _Having to do penance again. This time I did screw up though._ "Mom, you know how it is with me and feeling comfortable talking about sex with you. But I am happy that you've found someone. It's been too long since Dad had been gone that you found someone just maybe that you can move on with."

"Thank you, Too Tall." Sam knew that when her mother pulled that nickname out of the way back machine that she was not mad at her. In fact she had been calling her that since she was ten and taller than her mother. It had been irritating at first until she realized that what her mother had been saying was that you are growing up way too fast! "I don't know if we'll find the happiness that you and Abby have but he is the first man that has made me not feel guilty about having those kinds of feelings for another man."

The detective understood what she meant. Another eww factor but still she could sympathize with her mother. If anything happened to Abby and they had only been together for a few months. What would it be like having spent years together only to have that tragically taken away? "I've always liked Jared, Mom. Both of you are lucky to have found one another. Anyways, enough of this sappy talk. I'm going to run out and get something special for Abby. She'll be home in about an hour. Wish us luck."

Melissa almost wanted to laugh. There was no way that her daughter needed luck. "Oh, Too Tall." Her voice took on an edge that told the detective she was near tears. But she believed that they were happy tears. "Oh sweetheart." Now this tone and this nickname meant that Sam was so loved that it almost made her cry. "You two don't need luck. You two just need to communicate a little better. Just don't let the little things build up. Talk. I know it's not your strong suite but it is Abigail's. Learn from her. Teach her."

"I will, Mom. I'll talk to you soon bout this weekend. Love and miss you." Sam heard the same in return before hanging the phone up. Her mother was right as usual. While they usually talked about almost everything there were some things that it seemed that both were not as good as talking about. Perhaps that was why what happened happened. Right then and there the detective vowed that little misunderstandings were not going to lead to big ones.

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Abby was a little later than Sam had anticipated coming home and actually the detective had worried a little that the nurse had decided to spend the night with Emily. After everything that had happened and especially the latest attack on her lover she had hoped that at the very least she would text and let her know when she was coming home or where she was at. Then she heard the keys in the lock and her heart had skipped a beat.

The petite blond closed the door behind her making sure to not only lock the deadbolt but also put the chain in its spot. She might live with a detective which meant there was a gun in the house she still would rather be as secure as possible leaving nothing to chance. That was something that she felt about her love life as well. There was no way that she was going to lose her soul mate over some misunderstanding that actually had turned out to be more than the nurse ever could have imagined.

Since the apartment was in mostly darkness with the exception of a night light in the kitchen she assumed that her partner had already gown to bed. _Probably still upset with me._ Abby sighed not able to blame her lover at all. Though she thought she could feel someone watching her from the darkness she decided to go ahead with her plan. It might not be until morning that she was able to go through with it but at least she could set things in motion.

The nurse quickly got out a vase and put the flowers in them. She placed the card that she had gotten to go along with it. It was a lame way of apologizing but it was sweet and it was something she hoped that Sam would accept. Of course they needed to have a talk about what happened with Amanda. She sighed heavily as she put the pie that she had bought on the counter and the whipped cream in the fridge. The plastic bag that had held it all went into the recycling bin under the counter.

Abby stretched and yawned. She cringed a little when she felt a little bit of pain shoot down her arm. _Yep, you definitely made it worse than when it first happened. Going to be a very long time before I allow you near me, Amanda. Maybe never._ As she made her way to the bedroom a voice called out causing her to literally jump back. She ended up smacking her left wrist on the wall and tears stung the corners of her eyes. "Are you all right, Thumper?"

The nurse smiled as out of the darkness came the woman that she loved more than anything else. She smiled because of the nickname which meant that while still maybe a little upset her lover was still concerned about her. "I got hurt again at work." With that Sam had her wrapped up in a gentle hug. _Oh how I missed this last night. Making love is grand but this? This is what I missed._ "It's a long story. I know it's late and you have to get up early but if you are up to it I think we need to talk."

Sam stiffened just a little. While she had not been in many real relationships she had seen enough couples in movies and on television to know that when one of them said the dreaded 'we need to talk' line then things were not good and that it could lead to the end of the relationship. And yet her girlfriend had come home bearing gifts. That was what was important, right? "I can live without sleep. If it's that important. Besides Mother says we need to communicate more."

Abby laughed. That was so like Sam's mother. "Well she's right. I take it you were talking to her about what happened?" Sam nodded as she led the way to the couch turning on a lamp as she went. She saw how swollen the wrist was and went to get an ice pack. The nurse watched her in silence waiting for the raven haired beauty to settle in next to her. The petite blond winced just a tad as the ice pack hit her wrist. "I, um, had a run in with Amanda."

A low growl was coming from Sam. It was like a dog that was defending his bone. It was a possessive and yet it was a scared sound as well. "I take it things did not go all that well." The detective motioned to the arm that was resting on her leg. "So, I guess I wasn't just…" _No, not gonna do that. She deserves better._ "Sorry. I was going to get a little bitchy on you. I know you were just concerned about your friend last night." The detective smiled sheepishly.

The nurse reached over with her good arm and began stroking the chiseled cheek that was closest to her. Sam gladly leaned into the touch and was now purring instead of growling. "There's my Miss Kitty." That got a little chuckle out of the dark haired woman. "She did something that is going to get her in trouble with the hospital and the law to lure me to a vacant hospital room." Blue eyes opened flashing dangerous flames of anger. "Yes she tried to and did kiss me." There was a huge silence that engulfed them before Abby continued. "I used that move you showed me, the one with the heel of my hand."

"Is that how?" Sam asked. Her breathing was a little ragged as anger was burning throughout her entire body. There was a slight bit of jealousy as well but that was not because of Abby's actions. It might be a little archaic in thinking but she never ever wanted anyone else kissing her lover. All she knew now is that she had to remain calm and let her soul mate finish. It went back to trust and it went back to communication with a little bit of patience thrown in for good measure.

"She grabbed my wrist before I could get free." Abby wanted to stop talking as she could see every little bit of what she had gone through was hurting her partner. But she had to finish. That would be the most difficult part of the entire thing. Hopefully Sam would understand. "Afterwards, we talked just for a few minutes. Turns out this has happened in the past. She had been in counseling and thought she was doing all right so she stopped. She promised to go back but I still don't want to see her for a while."

"Just a while?" Sam's voice had an edge to it before she could calm herself down. _This is Abby we're talking about. Of course she would want to remain friends with her. After all that is her nature to be loving and forgiving. Would you expect any less out of her?_ "Sorry. That was bitchy. It's just I hate to think of you getting hurt. And worst I hate to think of you being around the one that hurt you. It still drives me up the wall that there are no leads on your other attack."

"I know, Miss Kitty." Abby leaned into her girlfriend. Her head was resting on a strong shoulder. Sam instantly snaked her arm behind her soul mate and pulled her closer. This was what they both needed. They need to reconnect. Even if they were not going to have time for a more intimate relations at this point at least they were touching and they were snuggled up showing their love and support for each other. "So, you waited up for me. Were you worried?"

Sam nodded. It brought her closer to the silky blond hair. She took in a deep breath that was her lover and it filled her with contentment and at the same time it filled her with desire. "I wanted to take Mom's advice. She told me to apologize and to make sure that we took time to talk things out. I would have anyways but Mom really kept hitting me over the head with it." The detective closed her eyes as Abby had begun to massage her leg with her good arm. "Are you trying to start something, Thumper?"

Abby's green eyes turned so that they were looking into blue ones that were filled with desire. There was a twinkle in the green ones that made her look innocent. It made her look younger. It made her look so damned cute that all her girlfriend could think about was making sweet love to her. And that was the nurse's plan. After all they had a small argument. It wouldn't have been relationship ending. But it could have led to more things had they not talked.

"Talking is overrated. I think it's time for some playing." The ice bag fell to the floor as lips collided and bodies shifted so that there was as much contact as possible. Hands were roaming all over the place not caring about the time. Not caring that they had their first argument. All they cared about was showing just how much the one loved the other. Just as Abby had gotten Sam's tank top off the phone began to ring. Curses were muttered by both women. "Hello?"

Abby dropped the phone. It was a voice that was muffled but the words were clear. Quickly Sam picked up the phone and listened intently. "I know you are with the cop you little slut. You go from being married like a proper woman to being with a thing that is against nature. I want you to come to the warehouse. You know the one. Your parents still own it. I want you to see what you left and what you should be with."

Sam had enough. "Listen, you moron. I am a detective. I can have this called traced. In fact, I'll have the cops at that warehouse before you can say kiss my ass you…" She let the expletives trail off as she heard the threat come. It wasn't a threat against herself. It wasn't a threat against Abby. It was a threat against Adam. "You son of a bitch!" She threw the phone across the room causing it to shatter. "I need to call the station. That was just stupid."

The detective got up and made her way around the apartment to where her cell phone was on the charger. She dialed the familiar number and waited for the operator to put her through to the right department. "Rich! It's Sam. Yeah, that Sam. I know we haven't done the poker thing in months. Listen, I got a real problem. My partner just got a phone call. Threatening. Not only her but me and a relative of mine. Supposedly they want her to come to…" She paused as Abby handed her an address which she relayed to the hostage negotiator. "Not sure if this threat is viable or not. Thanks. Keep me informed."

Abby was standing behind her and engulfed her in a hug the moment that she turned around. This was not how they had either of them hoped to end the evening. They were back together not that they had really been a part. But they had both envisioned two bodies sweating and rocking together in a rhythm that only the two knew. Now all either of them felt like was holding one another and hoping that no one was at the warehouse. That their families were safe. That they were safe.


	17. Chapter 17

The alarm rang and Sam cursed loudly. What she really wanted to do was get her gun out and shoot it. Of course that was a bit extreme she admitted sheepishly to herself but no one could blame her. It had turned into a long night that never seemed to end. It was calling Middletown to make sure not just Adam but everyone was all right and then onto Abby's parents. That was not a great phone call but had to be made. Then there were calls to the captain, her partner, Susie and Emily.

All the while both were worried as they had not heard anything from Rich until after four in the morning. It had all been a hoax to make everything that much worse. The captain wanted a meeting not only with his detective but her 'lovely better half' as he had put it. The man was an old romantic and had wanted to truly meet with Sam's new romantic partner ever since he had stopped by the hospital and seen her as she took care of his detective.

Abigail of course was making things so much easier for the detective. The petite blond had curled up even more so against the long lengthy frame as soon as the alarm had gone off. Part of the raven haired beauty wondered if she was really trying to keep her in bed or if she was just trying to siphon some heat from the usually warm slightly older woman. Of course she would always give her lover the benefit of the doubt and think everything she did was innocent until otherwise proven guilty.

That was when she felt the kisses start. Sam's entire body reacted in an instant. Her nipples became erect. Her breast seemed to ache to be touch. Parts south instantly were on fire and already a swell of her arousal was making its way on to her thighs. The kisses were innocent little pecks that were on her neck and then her earlobe before going to her chin. Before the detective knew what was happening she felt Abby's tongue inside her mouth.

After only having around two hours of sleep the black haired woman was instantly awake. There would be no need for her morning coffee to get her going this day. Later perhaps but right now every single nerve in her body was awake and it felt wonderful. It especially felt wonderful as she felt a very delicate hand slide its way down to her hip. She could feel Abby's breathing pickup because her breasts were now rubbing against hers eliciting a moan from both women.

Finally the nurse pulled back and looked into her lover's eyes. There was more than just desire there and it made the petite blond smile. It made her want the detective more than she ever had. It made her thankful that she had not been punished for making a very bad judgment call when she had decided to believe Amanda over her lover. Of course that was something she would not soon forgive herself for and something she planned on properly making up to her soul mate.

"Good morning." Abby's green eyes said more than her simple words had said. It was clear that she wanted to explore every single part of the taller woman. She wanted to commit to memory the tastes, the feel and the smell that made up the woman that she loved. She wanted to make up for ever having doubted her. Though both women had a very long day ahead of them she knew that they had more than enough time to do what her body was craving. "So, snooze?"

Sam swallowed a few times. They had been intimate numerous times and both had at times been the aggressor. But this was the first time that it seemed that her lover wanted to be in total and complete control. A part of the detective liked it very much. Part of her wished that Abby would do this more often. And a part of her wished it was Abby's desires truly coming to the surface but she knew that her girlfriend was trying to make things up to her.

"Snooze." Just as Abby was about to continue, Sam reached up and put a hand on her cheek. For a moment she lost her speech as the petite blond leaned into the touch. "On one condition." That got one raised eyebrow from the woman that was so tantalizing lying naked before her. "You know that this is not make up sex. This is not you having to say you are sorry. This is simply two people that love each other beyond words…"

Sam was not allowed to finish her thought. Her mouth was claimed by the petite blond's mouth. Soon the left hand of her lover was on her right breast. It wasn't long before the detective's other breast was claimed by the warmth of Abby's mouth. First teeth grazed ever so lightly over her already hardened nipple. Then a tongue delicately traced the nipple and then flicked over it a few times before teeth took the hard bud and nibbled softly.

It wasn't long before the raven hair beauty was starting to lose the ability to think. It only got worse, but in a good way, when Abby's hand cupped her entire mound with her left hand. Fingers played ever so teasingly with the opening of the lips. A finger just barely grazed inside and Sam's whole body jumped. It made the nurse smile evilly. She kept playing with either the mound or the inner thighs of her lover as her mouth went from one breast to another.

This went on for several minutes before Abby once again found the detective's mouth and claimed it, her body and her soul in that one kiss. "I love you, Samantha Elizabeth Walker." It was barely a whisper as she was having trouble breathing partially from the kiss but partially from how her own body was reacting to being able to pleasure her lover in this way. "I have never loved anyone before you and I will never love anyone after you. You are mine. I am yours."

Blue eyes blinked in surprise. Not that Sam didn't feel exactly the same in fact the detective had felt those very feelings almost from the very beginning. It was just the timing of the words and the intensity she felt not only in the words but with each touch that her lover was giving her. "I love you too! I never knew what love was until I met you. Please, Abby. I need you!" It was all that the detective could manage to say her mind was becoming a jumble of thoughts, feelings and sensations.

The jumble only got worse as she felt the petite blond slowly slide her body the entire length of her tall frame. The hot trail that was left on her leg as Abby slid her mound the length of her leg made her whimper. It also made her feel so good to know that she could get her girlfriend that aroused. It made her feel good just to be able to be with the woman that she loved and that they could love one another even in the worst of times.

Sam's heart rate almost double when she felt Abby slide under her and position her legs over the smaller woman's shoulders. Though she knew what was happening and just how good it would feel her body was still not prepared when the nurse slowly but hungrily slid her tongue into her body. It was a feeling unlike anything she had ever felt. It was like they were making love for the very first time and it was simply amazing.

Abby took her time both with her tongue and also with her hands. Though her arms were short she still managed to rub the smooth stomach of her lover. That was until both of her hands were grasped. Somehow, though Sam was lost in a passionate haze, she managed to remember to be careful of her girlfriend's injured left wrist. It took several minutes of slow teasing and thrusting until the nurse finally allowed the detective the release that she had so desperately needed.

Sam kept calling out her lover's name as wave after wave after wave of pleasure past through her body. Slowly Abby trailed little kisses as she made her way up the length of her lover once again. Their eyes met and they burst out laughing. Both of them had bed hair. Both of them had the crinkles of the soft cotton pillow cases running along their faces. And yet after the laughter had died down something else was ignited once again.

The detective gently pushed the nurse on her side. Their eyes kept steady as Sam ran her fingers through the blond tousled hair. It was more out of wanting to feel the silky blond strands than it was to actually straighten up the unruly mess. To the raven haired woman her lover had never looked better and she was going to not only tell her but show her just how beautiful she really thought she was. "You, Abigail Brittany Jones are the most beautiful woman in the world."

Abby swallowed hard seeing the depth of the love her partner had for her. It frightened her a little but it also exhilarated her at the same time and she felt her desire about to take over. As she was about to respond in kind she found that her speech had been cut off by a kiss that set her very soul on fire. Her body was beginning to rock a little as Sam gently pushed her all the way onto her back. She leaned back and said, "I am the luckiest woman in the world."

Words were forgotten as Sam began to rub her body the entire length of the shorter woman. Their bodies seemed to fit in all the right places as she continued for several minutes. Both their breathing was ragged after all the excursion. The detective winked at her lover before she first teased one ear lobe and then the other. Then a trail was made down the cheek to the chin and then into the valley that was between the perfect breasts.

Sam took her time suckling on first one breast and then the other. All the while her hand was free to roam over every single inch of the soft skin that made up her lover. After already having her arousal peaked while making love to the detective she knew that Abby was more than ready. So the tall woman continued her gentle assault on the breasts while her free hand slowly slid down and hovered just above the mound. She could feel the heat radiating off from the treasured area.

It didn't take long for her to insert a solitary finger into the warmth and the nurse moaned in pleasure. It also didn't take long for Sam to assume a steady rhythm that she knew that would take her lover over the edge in a short amount of time. Though she wanted to taste Abby this way she could continue to pay attention to each breast. And then when it was almost time for her sweet lover to reach the peak and finally fall she took the nurse's mouth into her own.

The cries of Sam's name were muffled against her own lips. The detective made sure that she got every ounce of pleasure that had come over her soul mate before she slowly and carefully removed her finger. She brought the digit to her mouth and suckled off every drop of that which was the woman that she loved. Her eyes once again met with green ones. "I'd say that's a very good way to start a day. You do realize we have to hurry now because the captain expects us both in…" She glanced at the clock. "An hour."

Abby captured the detective's lips for just a moment before she answered. "Well, we could shower together but I'm afraid if we did that we'd probably be late." The nurse quickly rolled out of bed and put both hands on her hips. Sam watched for a moment as the hands and hips swayed in a way that was so hypnotic that the detective got lost for the longest of times. Then she got her senses back and she rushed after her partner. _To hell with the captain. He can wait!_

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Lucky for Sam the captain had had a busy morning and really didn't realize that she and Abby were almost an hour late. After the amazing wakeup call that the nurse had given the detective they had showered together. If that is what you want to call it. Though both loathed when they fought or disagreed it was nice when they made up. Though still were exhausted from lack of sleep at the very least they were in very good moods because of their morning escapades.

Steve seemed to know something was up as the couple walked by his desk. Sam's eyes caught with his and he winked at her. She stopped for a moment figuring that she was already late what would a few minutes more hurt. "Have you two ever truly met?" The detective knew that they had been around one another quite a bit if only because of her partner taking on the investigation of Abby's smashed windshield. "I mean I know you've talked but ever met?"

Abby of course didn't wait for introduction. She pulled the surprised man out of his chair and gave him a big hug. "No, we hadn't properly been introduced. I don't greet everyone I meet that way." She blushed slightly as she realized that the station had come to a complete stop at the display of affection she had just shown. It was just her natural way especially when she knew that this man was more than just a simple partner for her girlfriend. "I'd like to meet your lovely wife sometime."

Detective Waters looked at Sam and got this stupid smirk on his face. Without even thinking about the consequences he spoke. "I can see why you fell for this one. She's quite the hugger." Sure enough, there was a playful swat to his shoulder. "Oww!" He began rubbing his shoulder even though it really didn't hurt. "Is she this violent with you?" That caused another swat only to his utter shock it was the petite blond that had just enveloped him in a hug. "I guess that's part of the attraction."

This time that got a whap on the back of the head. Actually it got two of them. One from Abby on one side and one from Sam on the other. Sam put her arm around her girlfriend's waist. "Actually you are the first one that I've seen her get violent with." Of course that invoked memories of what happened with Amanda but both pushed that aside. After learning it was a hoax and everyone was all right they were in a half decent mood and didn't want to spoil it. "I just think you are getting soft."

Before her partner could answer Sam heard her named yelled. Both she and Abby turned to see her grayed haired captain standing in the doorway glaring not at the nurse but at the detective. The raven haired detective only smiled at him which made the glare grow. "Come on, sweetheart. I think it's time we go and face the music." Without even thinking where she was, the tall woman took the nurse's hand in her own and made her way to the captain's office.

By this time he had already gone back inside and was sitting at his desk. There were papers piled not very neatly over almost every square inch of the desk. There were obvious coffee stains both from spills and just from ringlets marring the solid wood. There was another smell that the nurse thought she caught but wasn't sure. That was something she wouldn't bring up though just in case she was wrong. "So, last night you two had fun."

It was all that Sam could do not to burst out laughing. While the scare of a possibly kidnapping of her son was still fresh in her mind her body was going back to the morning hours and just how much fun she and her lover had had. "Afraid so. The caller was obviously after Abby. But when I got on the line they switched tactics and went after me. Um, I have to share something with you." The detective sobered quickly and felt Abby take her hand in support. "Only my family, Abby, Leslie Walker know this so it's extremely important. My nephew Adam is really my son."

Captain Leik just stood there staring at her with his mouth open wide. It was not the fact that the detective standing before him was standing with her lover. He knew plenty of lesbians that had used other methods to have children. He was shocked because he never would have guessed that Sam would have been the motherly type to want one. As he studied the dark haired woman he could see carefully hidden pain on her face. Of course he wanted to ask but that was up to her to tell the details. "Leslie knows this?"

Sam felt a squeeze of the hand. She gave herself a moment to look at Abby and allow the love and support to wash over her. After being alone so long it was a different but wonderful feeling to have someone that would support you unconditionally. "She figured it out after she tried to rekindle our um romance when she came back to the states. I told you about the incident that led me wanting to come to New York. Well, that was why she came to the family picnic to try and get at my son."

The captain rubbed his face with one hand and picked up his phone with the other. _There are some days when it just doesn't pay to get out of bed I swear! This would have been a great day to stay where I was._ "Emery! Have you been able to trace that call last night?" Both ladies waited as he listened to the person on the other end of the line. "Dammit!" He slammed the phone down. "Of course it was a burner phone. The only good thing is they know they were calling within a block radius of your apartment building if you can call that a good thing." Another round of curses escaped the grizzled older man's mouth. "You know what this means."

The detective sighed heavily. Her blue eyes met green ones. Though Abby had not been around this side of law enforcement even she knew what that meant. The nurse smiled sadly hating to be put under protection. And of course she was worried about their trip Middletown over the Thanksgiving holiday. Of course there would be her girlfriend and an old beat cop there but still. "I'm going to be getting an escort again, huh?"

The blue eyed beauty smiled sadly at her. "It means we both will. Plus our phones will be tapped. I know it's an invasion of privacy but if the phones are tapped they can trace the call quicker. Hopefully." She sighed heavily knowing this would put a slight damper on their following weekend plans. But she was bound and determined to make their first family get together as enjoyable as she could. "Who are you going to assign?"

The captain pointed to the door. Both ladies turned around and smiled instantly. Melissa's boyfriend was one of six officers standing in the hallway. "They'll take turns shadowing both of you. I know it will hurt investigations and it'll be difficult to coordinate when you, Miss Jones, are on duty but it'll have to be done." He waited until both women turned back to him. "I know that you were attacked a little bit ago and we don't know who that was. Perhaps it we took away your protection detail too soon."

Abby began to shift her weight a little. They had not told anyone about Amanda besides of course Melissa. It was, she hoped a truly separate incident and that her friend truly was getting the help that she needed. The hospital was not going to like her being shadowed again. While her parents were influential she couldn't help but wonder if the board would get tired of having to deal with things that had to do with her personal life. "Perhaps. We'll have to get with the board and…"

"That's already in the works. I figured that it was going to come down to this." The captain's gaze went from the beautiful petite blond to his, he had to admit, beautiful detective. "You are going to cooperate, now aren't you?" That got a raised eyebrow. It was just Sam. It was all of police officers in general. He knew they were all self-sufficient and self-reliant and accepting any king of protection detail never came easy to any of them himself included.

"Well for the next couple days mostly I'll be desk bound." Sam's eyes twinkled a little mischievously before it turned sober as she thought about how Abby would be afraid for her. "I will, however, inform whoever is supposed to be covering my protection detail before I go out. As you know, I don't feel like I need a babysitter and we do have plans this upcoming weekend as I'm sure all these officers do. I say keep it going until we leave for Middletown."

The captain looked from the blond to the raven haired detective. He could see that both of them were going to be stubborn on this one point. He sighed heavily. "Fine. But if things haven't gotten settled by the time that you get back, the detail starts again." Crossing his arms over his chest both knew that there was no arguing with him. "Now get back to work." This order was barked at his detective. He turned to Abby. "And you, miss, you have a good day." The older man winked at her.

Sam mocked saluted and got a playful growl out of the captain. In many ways the older man was a lot like a father. Something she had not had since she was so young. But now she had a family and she was going to take care of them if it was the last thing she did. The two women made their way to just outside the station. The taller woman leaned down and they shared a sweet kiss. Her phone going off made her look at the time. "It's almost time for lunch with your father. Want me to go with you? Or do you still want to do this alone?"

Before Abby could respond a familiar figure came out the door. Jared winked at the blond and made his way so that he was several feet away from the couple. He was out of earshot but still was able to see them and the surrounding area. His trained eyes already taking in all the people and his ears taking in sounds that for the most part seemed normal. "I think I'll go it alone. He said he wanted to discuss something important. Not sure what it's about. You know would love to have you there."

Sam was about to answer when she felt her lips claimed once again. _I'm really liking these public displays of affection. Think I'll keep them up._ That was when she saw Jared pull his gun and put himself in between the two women and what looked like a gang of skinheads. The detective put herself in front of Abby and also pulled her gun. The men kept up that cat calls and the slurs against homosexuals but weren't stupid enough to challenge two dangerous looking cops.

Even with what just happened Sam was smiling at having been kissed. She was smiling, not at the reason behind it, but the fact that the petite woman had her arms wrapped tightly around the taller woman from behind. The detective had felt it as the young punks were walking by but only now was letting herself relax into the embrace. Jared holstered his gun and did the raven haired woman. "Sorry about that." She turned around only to find that her lips were claimed again. _And here I thought they might scare her out of doing that. Silly me._ "You go have lunch with your father. Let Jared drive you."

Abby thought about that. Part of her wanted to protest being chauffeured around but the thought of what just happened and the fact that there was still a threat out there she decided to do what her girlfriend suggested without argument. "All right. If I let you drive then I guess I can let him drive." Her eyes met the gray ones of the older man. "I just hope that driving like a maniac is not something they teach all cops."

"Hey!" Sam was about to say something when her voicemail chirped and then a second later the cell phone began ringing again. "I guess whoever it was didn't think a message was good enough." She ignored the ringing phone and turned her full attention to her lover making sure that Abby understood that she was the most important thing in her life. "You enjoy your time with your father. Let me know how it goes. And call me before you start your shift."

Though Sam had not come out and said 'please' there was enough of a pleading look in the detective's eyes that melted Abby's heart. She knew that this was not an overprotective part of her girlfriend. This was the part that was all girlfriend. This as the part that was saying that 'I love you and miss you when you're gone so please let me know how you are'. It made her heart melt and her head swoon just a little. "Will do. And you text me when you get home tonight. I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

"Miss you already." Sam leaned down for one last quick kiss. "I love you." She pulled the woman into a hug and they stayed like that for what seemed like forever. Once the detective realized that the tip of her nose was cold she knew that Abby would have to be freezing by now. The temperatures were far below average for the time of year and snow was again predicted. "All right. Have something hot to drink for me."

"I will." Abby reached up and stroked the cheek that had just a tinge of pink to it. She realized just how cold she felt and decided it was time to go even though she would rather stay right where she was all day long. _Well there is one other place I'd like to be but that can't happen again until tonight._ "I love you too. Be careful and I'll let you know what Dad and Mom are up to." One last stroking of the cheek and she turned to Jared whose face was bright red. She knew it wasn't from the cold. "All right, driver. You lead the way."

Sam watched for a long moment and until Abby was out of sight before returning to the warm bustling police station. She pulled out her cell phone. There were now two voice messages. She punched in her code and listened intently. It was Susie. What she had to say couldn't be said over the phone. The next message was from the captain. There was evidence but it wasn't something that was only circumstantial. The detective decided to see what her best friend was up to.

It didn't take too long to make the way to the basement of the police station. Just as she was about to enter the lab, the reason that she had been on the mission stepped through the door. Susie smiled up at the tall detective. Her first instinct was to hug her but she knew how it could look and just how much her friend hated public displays of affection. To the lab rats shock it was Sam that pulled her into a hug. "Been too long my small friend."

Susie stepped back and looked at her friend like she could be an alien imposter or something. It took a moment for the surprise to wear off. "Yes, it has. Thanks for the call last night. Meant for little sleep but at the same time it gave me some things to think about." She stirred the detective out of the hallway and into the ladies room. Once she had checked all the stalls she began. "The phone was traceable. I think someone in the techie lab is on the take." She reached into her pocket and handed her a small note. "This is what I could find out." Before Sam could say anything she quickly continued. "Don't worry. I not only erased my search but I 'scrubbed' it. It's like it never existed."

Sam smiled at her friend. Her smile quickly faded as she read the information. "Dammit!" Quickly she lowered her voice not wanting to draw attention. In fact she went over and turned on a couple of the sinks to try and drown out their voices. Perhaps she was being paranoid but she didn't think so. "Jenny Monroe owns the entire department. She has Leslie Walker working for her. They are coming at me and Abby from all angles. No offense but I wish I'd stayed in Middletown. Except I would probably never have met Abby or you." She gave her friend a quick hug. "Thanks. You might want to get some um…"

"Already taken care of." Susie smiled. She went over and turned the running water off hating the waste of natural resources. They were done discussing why she had called her down. "So, you have plans for next weekend?" Sam nodded but her head was not in the discussion. The lab rat had been around her long enough to know that she was totally distracted. "Why don't you go and do your job. It makes me feel safer when you are on the case." Just as the taller woman was about to disappear out the door she quickly added, "I'm glad you came to New York."

Sam winked at her and quickly made her way to her desk. Part of her wanted to share what she knew with her partner and her boss. Right now it was not so much about who she could trust as who she was willing to put in danger. Susie had taken it upon herself to dig for the information. That was her call. If the detective were to involve anyone else that was on her. This was something she was certain she could not even share with Abby.

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It had been a little awkward at first having Jared chauffer Abby around. But after a little while she just began to treat him like the friend that he had become. While she kept chit chat to the minimum to try and not distract him she still kept talking every so often. It wasn't long until they were at the fairly expensive restaurant that her father had insisted they meet at. "Would you like to come in? It'll be my treat if you want."

Jared looked down at himself. He was wearing black dress pants, a white dress shirt, a tie and a black jacket. In fact he looked like one of the agents from the movie 'Men In Black'. "I suppose that I'm not underdressed for once." He smiled sadly thinking how uncomfortable he was going to be. But Abby, along with Sam, were becoming the daughters that he never had. In fact, he had never had any children so being with Melissa was getting an instant family.

Abby squeezed his hand and waited for him by the door as he got the ticket from the parking attendant. Slowly they made their way inside. The nurse was surprised to see her father sitting at a table for four. Usually when he dined in an exclusive place such as this he preferred the intimate setting of one on one. Her father saw her and quickly stood and hesitantly pulled his daughter into a hug. He eyed the stiff looking man behind her. "Daddy, this is officer Jared Jefferies. He's been assigned to protect me." Her father's eyes grew wide. "It's just precautionary still."

Ethan still looked a little unsettled as they sat down. "Is he going to be joining us?" He looked up at the man. While Jared was only slightly bigger than Mr. Ivey it seemed to the businessman that he was dwarfed by the officer. The green eyed man had little experience dealing with the police. His daughter's girlfriend was the first one that he knew on a personal basis and that would never had happened if they weren't seeing on another.

"They are getting him a table over there in the corner." Abby smiled at the relieved look on her father's face. _If Jared makes him nervous I wonder what it'll be like when we finally get to go to dinner with Sam._ The nurse kept the chuckles, if only barely, to herself. It wasn't long until her protector was situated not far from her. He was facing the door and kept glancing at her and giving her a smile or a wink. "So, why did you ask for the lunch? I thought we were going to wait until we all could have dinner."

Mr. Ivey raised an eyebrow. His daughter had certainly gained in self-confidence over the years. He wasn't sure if it was being away from him, her mother or the influence of a tall and dangerous detective. It was going to be something to get used to but he just felt fortunate enough that his daughter was giving him the chance. But now on to the big news that was so shocking. "Um, well we have a special guest joining us tonight. Two of them actually."

Abby raised an eyebrow. Her father was usually self-confident and sure of himself with the exception of three people. One was her mother. One was herself. And the last was her sister. But they hadn't, as far as she knew, seen her since high school and she had runoff to California and had a son. "Um, ok. That's a bit cryptic." The nurse picked up her menu. While she used to dine at the restaurant all the time with her parents it had been years since she'd been by herself. Not even Kevin liked the place.

"Hey, Sis." The voice and hand on her shoulder made Abby stand so fast that she bumped the table and the water and centerpiece went flying. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jared readying to come over and so the nurse held out a hand. Quickly the police officer sat down but the petite blond could see him keeping his hand on his gun at his shoulder. "Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you. Just thought since I was in town I'd catch up with you and the rents. Oh…" She allowed a little boy of about eight to stand in front of her. "This is your nephew Conrad. Conrad this is your Aunt Abby and this is your Grandpa."

The nurse just stood there. She was stunned beyond words. She had been through so much in the past couple months that usually nothing shocked her. But seeing not only her sister but her nephew standing there was something nothing could have prepared her for. The petite blond took in the sunken cheek bones and she took in the dark circles under her sister's eyes. While dressed casually the clothing looked like they had seen better days. Dark hair that had once been soft and silky was now straw-like. In other words in her medical opinion she looked like she was still on some kind of drugs.

The boy had sandy blond hair. His eyes were surprisingly so similar in color to that of the nurse's girlfriend and nothing like her sister's that it gave her a pause. He too looked like he was not eating regularly and it hurt to look at him. His face looked like it had been washed with a wet one instead of with soap and water. His clothes looked like they came out of a goodwill bin and were actually more worn than that. The shoes upon his feet looked like a marathon had been run in them they were so dirty and worn out.

All Abby wanted to do was to scoop the boy up and take him home with her. In her mind it would be perfect one day as he was about the same age as Adam. The boys could be raised like brothers and would never want for anything with the two mothers they would share. But that was not a possibility at least not yet. Connie had legal custody and while both looked a little more than haggard there were no true overt signs of child abuse.

Finally the nurse was able to shake out of her shellshock. For a moment she watched as a couple waiters reset the table before she went to her sister and pulled her into a hug. There was the smell of marijuana in her hair. That was not the extent of her drug of choice she was sure but without testing would not know for sure. She leaned down and the shy boy wrapped his arms around his mother's legs. "Hi. You don't need to be afraid. I wish we would have met sooner, Conrad. That's a very grownup name to go with a grownup little boy."

That managed to get a smile out of the little boy. His amazing blue eyes looked bright for just a moment before his shyness took back over. "Why don't we sit." Connie watched as her sister took a seat that was beside their father. An eyebrow arched as if to say her usual thought which was 'what? I'm not good enough to be in this family?' For now she just let the crude comments stay within her brain. "We're both hungry, huh bud?" Her son nodded shyly. "We flew out here and haven't had a chance to eat anything since really early this morning."

"Well, we'll quickly remedy that. Then you and your son can come stay with your mother and me for a few days." When it looked as if there was going to be a protest the oldest Ivey quickly continued. "Your mother would skin me alive if she knew you were in town and not offered you a place to stay." He turned to his other daughter. "Maybe you and Sam would want to join us one evening for a family dinner?" Then his face turned to a frown. "Well at least you anyways."

Connie looked like a dog with a bone. She saw the sad look on her father's face and the dejected look on her sister's. There was definitely a story there. _Maybe it's something I can milk a little for. I need the money badly. I know Daddy will give me some seeing how his grandson is right here. But what are you up to sis?_ "Oh? Why wouldn't Mother want your friend coming over? I mean I assume that they are just a friend. Aren't you still with Kevin?"

_Yup. Definitely up to something as always, aren't you sis. Well let's just see how much fun it is to be the one doing the shocking._ "Kevin and I just got divorced." She saw the surprised look on her sister's face and smiled. "Let's just say he was never the man that I thought he was. It took meeting Sam to realize that." The wheels were turning in her sister's head and she decided to finish what she had started. "She's a detective for the special victims unit."

The younger sister was taking a drink when her sister broke the news of the identity of her new beau who turned out to be female. "Um, I think my hearing is off a little. Did I just hear you say 'she'?" Abby smiled in triumph. "So, little goody two shoes is a…" She wanted to say something really bad but her son was sitting right there. He was shrunk into himself as usual. "Has found someone to make her happy. How nice for you."

The two sisters stared at each other for the longest of times. In that instant Abby knew that her sister was back and back for one reason. Finally her baby sister had run out of people to take care of her and to get her drugs for her. _After all these years you are finally back in our lives. Well you know what? You are not going to hurt Mom and Dad. You are not going to hurt that sweet little boy. And you are not going to hurt my Sam. Are we clear?_ A sneer for a smile was the answer to internal musings.


	18. Chapter 18

It was the afternoon before Thanksgiving and Abby's car was all packed and ready to go. The weather that had been cold and full of snow had backed off. It was still pretty much winter but at least it was just above freezing. They were waiting for Jared to arrive. He was going to follow them in his SUV. They were also getting a few snacks and bottles of water situated so that they would not be distracted while they were driving the two and a half hours to Middletown.

"Have you got everything you need?" Sam was securing her handgun in the lock box that she used to transport it. Abby hated guns. She always had. But she also knew that in the right hands they were a very good thing. Her girlfriend kept her cool and she also was a deadly shot meaning that she could shoot to kill as well as shoot to simply incapacitate someone which she knew that the detective preferred to do.

"I have everything I need." Abby was readying to get behind the wheel when red, white and blue lights flashed as they headed toward them. The nurse knew it wasn't Jared and knew that it wasn't Steve. If he were to have shown up he would have one of the unmarked cars. This was a regular patrol car. "Someone you know?" Sam eyed her and she motioned to the oncoming police cruiser. The siren wasn't on so that was a good sign, she hoped.

The detective simply waited for the cruiser to hopefully go by. Her hopes were quickly dashed as the police car stopped right next to their car effectively blocking them in. A burly looking dark skinned man with pepper hair got out of the passenger side of the car. Instead of going to the two women he made his way to the backdoor opening it. A person that was very familiar to the detective got out of the car. There was a noticeable limp as the blond made her way to the two women standing there.

Sam wanted to just pull her gun out and shoot as she figured this conversation was not going to go well. Sierra eyed both women wanting nothing more than to go up to the taller of the two. But she was here on a different assignment having been loaned from the Internal Affairs department to a floating detective. "Hello, Abigail. My name is Sierra. I know we've never met but I know your girlfriend. Not sure what she's told you about me."

Abby looked at Sam and then at the thin blond woman with large hazel eyes. Her smile was insincere that was obvious. Her tone of voice was as well. That sent up warning flags causing the nurse's skin to literally crawl. "I know of you. Not much about you but a little bit. So what brings you here?" As she had said that she didn't know much it appeared to the green eyed woman that the police officer had flinched almost like it was a slap to the face not to have been told of how they met.

Sierra recovered quickly. She had just assumed that Sam would want to tell everyone under the sun what they went through at the academy and give her own spin to it. Of course that had been many years ago and perhaps to the other detective it meant nothing. It still meant something to her though. "That's OK. The long ago past is not the issue here. The issue right now is the whereabouts of your ex-husband. He's been missing for two weeks now."

That caused Abby to blink several times trying to really process what she had just heard. Though she pretty much hated Kevin for how she had treated her especially at the end of the marriage, she would never want anything to actually happen to him. "I haven't seen him since…" She had to stop and think it had been so long. In that time, Sam had come to stand beside her girlfriend. "I think it was two weeks ago. I ran across him and he wasn't too pleasant to me. That was in the afternoon."

"I see." Sierra had pulled out a notebook and was taking notes. "Well that's all I need for now. Although I see you are planning on going somewhere?" Sam nodded giving Abby a squeeze. The nurse knew that in this circumstance that it was better that she let her girlfriend take the lead. "Does anyone in the department know how to get a hold of you besides your cell phone?" This question was obviously directed toward the tall woman. They were exchanging the most unpleasant of looks.

Before the raven haired beauty could answer, a large bright blue and white SUV pulled up behind where Abby's small car was parked. Without an invitation, Jared got out of his vehicle and closed in on the trio of ladies standing in the middle of the road. The officers assigned the squad car were standing just outside their cruiser. The older man winked at the tall detective before coming to stand on the other side of the nurse. They were forming a protective barrier.

That much was obvious to the blond with the hazel eyes. She was not easily intimidated and was easily standing her ground. It was just a little bit before Sam decided to respond. "The captain of course knows how to reach me. So does my partner." With the wording choice she knew that Sierra would jump on it so she quickly added, "Steve was thinking about joining us so he's probably gonna be at the same place. Now, if you don't mind we'd like to get our holiday started."

"Must be nice to get out of town. Some of us have to work over the holiday." Sierra's tone was a dripping with sarcasm. "I'll take my leave of you ladies. Drive careful." She turned to go but only took about four steps when she turned back around. "I hope the weather holds good. It can be dangerous driving during the holiday season in the best of conditions. Hate for something to change." Hazel eyes locked with ice cold blue ones for the longest moment. The message was clear.

It took Abby getting a good grip on her lover's arm to keep Sam from going after the woman. The nurse knew that there was some bad blood between the two women but was sure she hadn't heard the entire story. After seeing the cold look that her detective had given the IA officer she wondered if there was more to it than just the past. Wondering if it had something to do with what was going on now. There were still too many questions and not enough answers.

They watched as Sierra got back in the back of the cruiser. Sam glared at the woman the entire way until they were out of sight. She turned to Abby and pulled her into a hug. Over the smaller woman's shoulder she mouthed 'thank you' to her mother's boyfriend. When she pulled out of the hug, she looked deeply into green eyes. "You do know that she was just threatening both of us. Well definitely was threatening me anyways."

Abby nodded. For some reason it scared her but it didn't terrify her. After all that they had been through separately it was when they were together that things seemed to go well. So they were together. And they would be all weekend long. The nurse was looking forward to it. Though she knew Melissa well and had already met Jeff and the boys she had yet to even speak to Robert. It was like getting a family and it was exciting for the petite blond that did have her sister growing up but that was it.

There had been no extended family for the petite blond. Both her parents had been only children. By the time she was twenty two, both sets of her grandparents had passed away. There were some extended family but they had mostly moved away or chose not to acknowledge the nurse and her family. She and Connie had definitely never been close and hadn't known about her nephew for sure until the lunch she'd had last week.

That was something that really irritated the petite blond. Her father had called to tell her that her sister and nephew were staying with them. Her mother had welcomed her sister back with open arms. _She runs off to who knows where, obviously has a drug habit, has a kid out of wedlock and I'm the black sheep of the family because I get a divorce and am happy in a very loving relationship. OK. So it is with another woman but still._

Sam could see storm clouds in the green eyes. Her mind immediately went to a certain blond that had just been harassing her and her girlfriend. _If you have upset her, Sierra, the battle is on! I don't care if you work for the mob or not. You try and hurt my Thumper and I'll tear off both your arms and beat you silly with them._ Suddenly the good mood that the detective had been enjoying went right out the door. Her blue eyes took on the look of a stormy day with little bits of flashes going through the normally beautiful and tranquil eyes.

Jared was watching both women. He wasn't, as most men aren't, an expert on women. But having been a beat cop for almost thirty years now he knew when something was troubling them. The problem seemed that what was troubling one was not what was troubling the other. He decided that valor was for the best way to be polite and save his skin. His voice interrupted the internal musings of both women. "I'll just get myself readied. You pull out and I'll follow you."

Abby blinked several times. She had not realized that she had gotten so caught up in her thoughts about her family. As she looked at her lover, she could see that Sam had been having some rather interesting thoughts as well. _I wonder if I can get her to talk about it. It's a bit of a drive so we have the time. Can't wait to you get you alone, Miss Kitty._ Now a sexy look was upon the nurse's face. It was one that showed the clear desire that was coursing throughout the petite blond's body.

The detective was startled when she saw the look her slightly younger lover was giving her. Oh she knew that Abby desired her. Since they had finally been able to be intimate, the nurse had shown just how much she wanted her in so many loving ways. The look was causing a certain area to the southern region on the taller woman's body to hum. In fact, staring into those slightly hooded eyes made her entire tall length begin to hum. _This is going to be a looonnnngggg ride!_ "You want me to drive?"

The sultry sound of her girlfriend's voice did nothing to calm down the already burning aches that were all over the nurse's body. _If Jared wasn't following us, we'd be a little late. Who am I kidding? The way I'm feeling right now we'd be a lot late._ Then the thought of having a fireplace in their room entered her mind. While her body was still fully aching to be touched and to touch Sam, that thought helped to keep those strong desires at least a little bit under control. "I got it. Not going to let Sierra scare me."

Sam smiled and got into the car. Her girlfriend was one of the bravest persons if not the bravest person that she had ever met. There was her mother of course. But that was a little bit different. Abby had not had the loving upbringing that her mother and the detective had. While the nurse had two parents that were there for her, she couldn't help but wonder how much they had loved her. After seeing how her father had acted during the brief visit at the hospital she could see that he was now trying to make up for that lack of love during her childhood.

That was probably why Abby's mom was taking in her sister though her sister had so much more baggage than the petite blond. While the nurse had a lot of things that were happening, she had a steady job, a decent apartment and she had a steady love life. It really did irritate her when she found out that they had taken in Connie. Of course there was Conrad to think of but still. It was like because she had a kid and was supposedly turning her life around that everything else could be forgiven. Heaven forbid that your child be gay.

The ride was a bit more somber now than it had started out as. Both women were still very much looking forward to the visit back to Sam's home town but now they had negative things eating away at their brains. It was as if the need was overwhelming and both women reached out at the same time. Their hands met over the armrest that divided their seats. They shared a brief look and just like that both women relaxed. The rest of the long ride was a happy ride with idle chatter.

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It was almost ten at night when they finally got to the bed and breakfast. The traffic had been worse than they had anticipated. It seemed everyone and their cousin wanted out of the big city for the holiday weekend. Not all of them were going to Middletown but enough were going the same direction and of course there had been an accident that had held up traffic as well. It was a bunch of weary travelers that finally pulled into the well-lit parking area for the bed and breakfast.

Abby had given up driving to her girlfriend after almost three hours. They had stopped for a bite to eat at a small diner and had decided to switch up. The nurse had traded shifts with another nurse so that both nurses got the time off that they wanted. Still, she had been up since the early morning hours. Sam had gone back to bed after her girlfriend had left. There were only a handful of things she needed to check on. One of them was to see how Susie was handling what they had discovered. It seemed everything at least for now was quiet on that front.

The nurse took in her surroundings as they pulled in. The parking area was a widened gravel driveway that had a row of hedges running on it and all the length of the short rest of the driveway. Where the parking area ended, there was a red brick path that had lilac bushes on either side. Abby couldn't wait to see those same bushes in the spring and to smell their fragrant blooms. The actually building was three stories high. The color appeared a pale blue but with white trim around the windows as well as the railings. There was a porch that wrapped the entire length of the first level. There were balconies for the remaining two levels for each room.

It really was a beautiful building. It was one of the older buildings in the little town. According to her lover, it had survived a tornado and one thunderstorm so severe that an old oak tree had been uprooted and had to be removed. Part of the roof had blown off and there had been a lot of damage to the third and second floors. It had taken a lot of TLC to get the bed and breakfast back into business but seeing how it had been in their family for now three generations it had been well worth it.

Even before they could get out of the vehicle, a familiar voice was coming from the front door of the inn. Abby looked up and there was her second favorite woman. The innkeeper looked good. She was dressed in black dress slacks and had on a beautiful dark blue button up blouse that really made her eyes stand out. _Just like her daughter when she wears something that color. I can only be so lucky if mother and daughter are so much alike._

Abby got out of the car. Her first instinct was to go to Melissa who had already cut the distance in half. The older woman had her arms open wide and the nurse fell into them. It was a warmth that enveloped her. She realized that it was partially love that she felt. It was similar to what she felt from Sam though paled in the intensity level. The other part was the protection factor. Again it was what she felt when her girlfriend held her in her arms. Different but at the same time the same. _Yup. Mother and daughter so much alike. Lucky me._

Melissa finally released the petite blond. Her eyes met with Jared's but first she went to her daughter. "It's about time you came home." She engulfed the much taller woman in the same kind of hug that she had Abby. "I just wish it were on a more permanent basis. Well, I have all weekend to work on both of you about that." Sam rolled her eyes. "And don't you go sassing your mother not even with a roll of the eyes." She swatted the detective on the behind as she made her way to her boyfriend. "Been too long."

Sam inwardly groaned. But when her eyes met with Abby's it didn't matter that her mother and her boyfriend were groping behind her. The only thing in the world was just the two of them. That was the way that the taller woman liked it. Of course she would not be opposed to having a certain little boy in their lives on a more permanent basis but that was still down the road. Their lives were too unsettled especially after the visit by Sierra.

The two younger women began to gather their luggage. There wasn't really much for them to unload. They had one shared large suitcase and two smaller bags with essentials and of course Abby had her surprise for Sam packed away in her bag. Reflecting on that day when she purchased the said items she should have realized that there was something not quite right with Amanda. But the nurse always tried to give benefit of the doubt to people. Then why had she given it more so than her girlfriend? That question was going to haunt her for quite a while.

They didn't even wait for Melissa or Jared as they seemed a little preoccupied with themselves not that either woman could blame them. Neither would handle being separated for the amount of time that the older couple was. Luckily it was only a few more months until the police officer was up for retirement. His plans were clear. He was going to sell his small home that he and his wife had shared. They had not been graced with children so really there was nothing keeping him in the big city. He had an amazing woman and a wonderful job of innkeeper waiting for him.

A sandy haired boy shot out the door and practically knocked Sam to the ground. "Adam?" The detective put down the large suitcase and picked up her son. His blue eyes were within inches of her own and it made her breath catch just how much they were really alike. "What are you doing here? I thought you and your folks weren't coming until tomorrow for dinner?" The raven haired woman looked around trying to see her brother or her nephews.

"Dad let me come stay the night." Adam bounced up and down. He was obviously on some kind of either sugar or emotional overload. Knowing Melissa it was probably a combination of both. "When I heard for sure that you and Aunt Abby were coming I had to be the first to see you! Brian and Kyle are so jealous!" The little boy was beyond excited and it warmed both the detective and the nurse to see it. "Can I stay up longer? Grandma said I had to go to bed when you got here."

Sam chuckled at the energy her son was showing. _Just like I was at that age. Couldn't keep up with me. Only Lyceus could._ That brought back pleasant memories. It also brought back bad ones as that were around the time that her father had been killed. "Well, we do have to get settled in. Maybe you can help us with for a little bit." Adam managed to wriggle out of her grip. Luckily he slid down the length of her long body. Immediately he began to carry the suitcase. "I got that, little man. Why don't you take this?"

Adam gladly took the smaller bag and slung it over his shoulder. Though the weight was minimal he still seemed to lean to one side. "Are you sure I can't help you carry anything, Aunt Abby?" His blue eyes were alive with excitement. His slightly tanned skin was a testament to his parentage. It was something that no one spoke about how Sam and now her son seemed to have that natural tan when no one else in the family had it.

Abby only hesitated for a moment before handing off the only thing that she was carrying. Adam gladly took the carryon bag and it seemed to level him off. He began running toward the bed and breakfast. "Careful!" The nurse took off after the boy she considered every bit her son as much as he was truly her girlfriend's. They made it to the porch and the boy tripped. Luckily the petite blond had caught up to him and grabbed onto his jacket managing to keep the boy from falling on his face. "Gotta be more careful, son." It slipped out without her even thinking about it.

It was loud enough for Sam to hear. The detective tried to keep her facial expression the same as it had been just a moment ago but knew it had changed slightly. Adam never even acknowledged the slight slip of the tongue and instead made his way through the door that he had left opened. The nurse waited for her girlfriend to catch up. She couldn't keep her gaze with that of her lover who simply leaned down and forced her head up by giving her a sound kiss.

This was greeted with a groan and some grumbling. One of the words that came out of young Adam's mouth was 'gross'. Another word that escaped was 'mushy'. After the kiss finally ended, Abby looked into blue eyes that were twinkling just like his mother's. "When you get older you won't think things like that are mushy." The petite nurse turned back toward her lover. "In fact you'll want to do that as often as you can."

"I doubt that." Adam was kicking the steps but stopped immediately when he saw his grandmother come through the open door. He sat down on the bottom step and waited to see what was going to happen next. He looked at the two women standing before him. His 'real' aunt was cool beyond measure and looked a little like he did. His other aunt was cute and fun. It was easy to see why his Aunt Sam would want to hang out with her but not why they would want to kiss. That was just gross.

"I guess everyone was raised in a barn." Melissa walked over to her daughter. She heard the door close behind her. "Thank you, Jared. You'd think that children these days would know that it isn't cheap to heat a big place like this." Though her words were admonishing there was a twinkle in her eyes. It was clear that she was enjoying having her daughters here even if it were for only couple days. _I'll make them want to stay here. Of that I promise._

"Sorry, Mom." Abby went up and gave her mother-in-law, at least that's how she saw her, another hug. "I think I distracted your daughter. I know she distracted me." There was a groan coming from a little boy that was still sitting on the steps. "I forgot. We're not supposed to do or talk mushy in front of the big tough young man." She turned and winked at Adam who had a big smile on his face in return. The nurse found she was easy into a life that she could very well become accustomed to.

"Sorry too, Mom." Sam picked up the suitcase. "Now if you don't mind it's getting late. We need to get settled and I know someone that needs to get to bed." Her gaze turned to a certain young boy that began to fiddle with the bags that were lying next to him. "I don't think your father would like you staying up this late not even on a holiday." Their blue eyes met and she knew just by looking at him exactly what he was thinking. _Poor Jeff. Just like me._ She chuckled softly at the thought.

Melissa pulled a key out of her pocket. She had thought about upgrading into something that was electronically based but liked the old country feeling that she got from actual keys. Of course while she was a modern woman she was also a traditional one. That was why she was going to nudge her daughter to make an honest woman out of Abby. Though they had only been dating for a couple months it was obvious this relationship was one that was for the long hall.

The innkeeper made her way over to her daughter. "I reserved the honeymoon suite for you two." Sam's face drained of color while Abby's turned a nice shade of red. "That's the first time I've ever seen one person have their blood drain from their face only to have it end up in their partners. You two must be connected more than I thought. I guess it's a good thing I set you up in the most romantic room that we have here."

Sam took the key with a shaking hand. It wasn't even the thought of getting married to Abby that was making her so nervous. Hell she had already bought the ring. She hadn't picked it up yet. It was ready but she figured it'd be just as safe at the jewelry store until they got back from the holiday. Then Christmas was going to be one of the most special that either she or her girlfriend had ever known. It was more nervousness at how her special girl would react to all the pushing of her mother.

"Well I think that is romantic." Abby saw her girlfriend visibly relax and smiled. "Thanks, Mom. We'll see you in the morning for breakfast." The nurse turned to see that Adam had already taken off. "Well, there's a bundle of never ending energy." She started on her way up the steps smiling when she heard the almost too faint to hear. Though she was tired and knew that most likely it would just be snuggle time tonight she decided to give her girlfriend a show and began swaying her hips just a little bit more than she normally would.

Her efforts were not missed. Sam almost tripped she was so intent on watching the beautiful butt move back and forth in a steady rhythm. It was one of those things that she could do all day long just watch Abby walk. It wasn't even the swaying of the hips, although that was a bit hypnotic. It was just that her girlfriend had this confidence about her. When they had first met just a couple months ago it wasn't like that. She was confident but not like she was now.

Now Abby could hold her own in a fight or at least give a little something to be remembered by. She could stand up to someone verbally and not let them get away with anything. That definitely went for the detective who was pretty much at the mercy of the nurse. But it was a good kind of mercy and so the raven haired woman really didn't care that she was as her partner would say 'whipped'. Being so loved by someone that you didn't mind being totally controlled was a good thing.

But it just wasn't one sided. They made it to the second floor landing. Sam watched as her girl took in the décor though it was hard to see in the limited light. The sway was still there and the detective smiled to herself. If their positions had been reversed she would be doing the same thing. And she knew that Abby felt the same way she did. That there was nothing she wouldn't do for her detective as she liked to refer to her. It was an amazing relationship.

Finally they got to the third floor. Adam had raced down to the end of the hallway. After spending a great deal of his free time at the bed and breakfast he knew which room was which. The young boy wondered why they called the room a honeymoon suite. To him it was just a really large room with a fireplace and private full bath that had one of those bubbly baths. It must be something that adults did that made him wonder.

The boy was waiting as the two women finally caught up to him. Sam pulled out the key from her pocket and opened the door. She allowed her son and her girlfriend to enter first. The detective hadn't been in the room in years. Her mother had changed the décor slightly. Instead of pink the room was now a really pale yellow. The curtains were all a nice lacy white. There were white blinds in the windows. The bed was a canopy. The comforter was a nice royal blue in shade. There was a loveseat by the fire. There was a padded bench by the bay window. There was a small table that only held two with a spot for double taper candles. It was a spacious room and it was wonderful.

"Wow!" Abby had been circling in the center of the room taking everything in. It was an amazing room. It was the old style bed and breakfast that she would have expected Melissa to have. "The online pictures did not do this room justice." She made her way over to the bathroom. "You could fit both our bathrooms in here and still have room leftover." The nurse made her way back in the room to see Sam already lying on the bed. Adam was sitting on the padded bench by the window. "Adam, why don't you get ready for bed. I think we're both going to just go to bed. It was a tiring drive."

At first the boy looked like he was going to say something in protest. He took in the sight of his aunt stretched out on the bed and decided that his other aunt was probably right. The look was one of disappointment but he went over and tugged on Sam's leg. She quickly sat up and looked down at him. The boy opened his arms up to which she responded by picking him up and hugging him. She gently kissed him on the forehead before patting him on the bottom. "Goodnight prince charming."

"Goodnight Aunt Sam." Adam quickly ran over to his blond aunt and practically tackled her to the ground he hit her with such force. Abby ruffled his sandy blond hair. "I'm glad you are my aunt now too. You make Aunt Sam happy." The words caused the nurse to blink trying to keep the tears at bay. "Sleep tight." He bolted for the door. "Don't let the bed bugs bite!" With that he slowly shut the door. The loud footsteps could be heard going from the top floor down to the bottom one.

Sam quickly stood up and made her way over to her girlfriend. "Kids do say the darnedest things." She pulled Abby into a tight hug. It wasn't the first time that the boy had said something like that but after the past couple weeks it was hitting a little closer to home just how much they both had to lose if something should happen. "I promise you that I will do everything in my power so that we are always together and we are always happy."

Abby pulled out of the warmth of her lover's hug. She looked up into blue eyes. They were both tired. They were both emotionally drained. Now was not the time to mention what she was feeling. And yet it seemed like the perfect time to mention what she had been thinking about almost since they had decided to truly be a couple. "Sam, sweetie." The words and nickname caused the detective to straighten just a little. "Do you ever regret leaving here?"

The detective pulled her back into the hug. She gently placed her head on the blond's below her. It felt right just holding her girlfriend like this. To her it didn't matter where they were as long as they were together. But the truth was the city was too stressful for her. And that was before all of the things had started to happen. "Sometimes. I mean my blood family is here. I had some good friends here. But that whole Leslie thing made it impossible to stay. Course she followed me so…"

"So in a way it was almost completely pointless." Abby was sure what the one point was that had made it not completely pointless. The nurse had thought about it a lot. If Sam had not moved to New York when she had, if she had not been in the ER that fateful night and if she had not then been on the floor they would never have met. They would never have gotten together. It was as if something had been working to get them together all of their lives.

"You know for me it meant everything." Sam slowly guided the couple to the bed. It was now getting close to midnight. They were expected up early to meet and greet the rest of the family and yet there was something more that needed to be done now. It wasn't easy walking backwards but the tall woman managed. She allowed herself to fall back on the bed and took the weight of her girlfriend with her. "I would be lost without you. You took a very misguided person and showed her what life was about."

Abby began to kiss a collarbone that was now so easily accessible. The nurse then burrowed her head into her lover's neck. "You know I feel the same. After what we've shared in only a few months to what I was supposed to have with Kevin…" She sighed heavily in contentment. "You make me happy. I would be happy anywhere with you but I've never like the city. I hate to not see Dad now that we are actually starting to get along again but I just think that in the near future we should think about moving here."

The detective chuckled causing the nurse to jiggle as well. It was definitely a pleasant feeling as their bodies began to slide up and down. Part of the tall woman wanted to ravish her partner. But she knew that tomorrow was going to be a long day for both of them so her better sense unfortunately overtook her libido. "Sorry. Was only chuckling because of how happy Mom will be when we tell her that we do plan on moving here someday. It's a large enough town that there should be a job for a nurse. Not sure if I could get back on the force but there are a few places I could work in security or even maybe I could start a private detective agency. Lots for someone as talented as both of us to do."

"And not just with each other." Abby felt the blush overtake her entire body. Sure she was with her lover and nothing she said would be considered all that embarrassing. But even what she just said kinda went beyond what her normal teasing was. "Oh God! That was so naughty!" She started to get up when she felt a strong pair of arms wrap around her. It was her safe haven being in these arms. _Why would I be stupid and believe Amanda. Almost losing this? Stupid. Stupid. Stupid._

"Never be embarrassed for telling the truth." Sam positioned them so that they were looking into one another's eyes. "We are very talented when it comes to pleasuring each other. That is something that comes from love and not just the physical act. We should be very proud of just how good we make each other feel." Their eyes locked. This was not a cocky statement about how good they were at lovemaking. It was a statement based on how much they loved one another and how well they were able to show it physically. There is a huge difference.

Sam felt the body on top of her begin to rock slightly. Her eyes closed absorbing the sensation. It was firing up that libido that she was trying to keep at bay so they could get some sleep. _Why am I fighting this? Screw sleep. I don't need sleep. I need to make love to the most beautiful, sweetest and most amazing woman that ever lived._ The detective began to match the rhythm of the woman lying on top of her. Their lips were just inches apart when there was a knock on the door.

"If this isn't an emergency I'm going to get my gun and shoot whoever it is." Sam gently slid her girlfriend off her body hoping the walk to the door would help her body to calm down to a less distracting hum. She opened the door not expecting to see her mother standing there. And especially not expecting her to see her mother with a boy she had never seen before. "Mom?" Their eyes met. "Who is this fine young man you have with you?"

Abby had gotten up off the bed almost as fast as her girlfriend had. She had been in mid step when she stopped. "Conrad?" The nurse found her ability to walk and quickly was kneeling in front of the shy boy. It wasn't surprising when he engulfed her in a hug. She was the only person that he even had a slight knowledge of in this strange place. "What are you doing, sweetheart. Where is your mom?" She felt the grip on her become deathlike at the mention of her sister.

The damn also broke and he began to sob beyond control. Abby stood pulling him up with her. The boy wrapped himself even tighter around her hanging on with his arms around her neck and his legs around her waist. She took him over to the bed and sat down. Blue eyes met green. The detective made her way into the hallway with her mother. Her voice was barely a whisper but loud enough for her mother to hear. "What happened?"

Melissa handed the detective the note that had been pinned to the boy's shirt. After Sam had read it she cursed. Connie had decided that she had gotten enough use out of her son for the time being. She was leaving him in the care of her sister until she was ready to take care of him once again. The tall woman's first instinct was to tear the paper up but knew that down the road it would sadly be needed. She sighed and opened the door up a crack. Already Abby was in bed snuggled up to the boy who was slowly crying himself to sleep. _I truly hate people sometimes._


	19. Chapter 19

A tall man with skin that seemed a little too tanned especially for the time of year. He had long brown hair that hung roughly from a ponytail on his head. His eyes were dark like pools of chocolate syrup. There was a goatee upon his face. He sat hidden in a dark small nondescript car. There was a familiar passenger in the car with him. Her dark hair and blue eyes were watching him as he pulled out a pair of binoculars. With them he could see across a little pond and but not quite into a three story house.

The man cursed when he realized that he could not see in the house like he had hoped to. _It's been a long time, Samantha. I was too preoccupied the past few years to reclaim what is mine. I don't care about you, bitch. But that boy is my blood. He will be mine again. They both will be._ The man threw the binoculars in the back seat of the car and started the engine. When he spoke he seemed to have a slight accent that was not quite discernible from where. "Better buckle up, Connie."

The man slammed the car into drive and took off leaving deep marks in the mud. Normally he was very careful about leaving any tracks or forensic evidence behind but the car was rented in his 'girlfriend's' name. They had met out in California and had become involved if only because he was a dealer of her powdered friend and was willing to do anything to keep her habit going. That included socking her parents for twenty five thousand dollars which was now in a lockbox far from her reach.

Connie knew that she was now trapped again. Had she just taken her son and disappeared for a while then maybe just maybe she would be free of her tormenter. But William Anderson, better known as Wild Bill, had found her before she had managed to sneak out of New York City. She had spilled her tale and when she had told him about her sister and how she was involved in a cop and then the name of said cop it was just too good to be a simple coincidence.

With the look on his face she knew. She just knew that she was in trouble and her son was as well. Her first instinct was to get her son to her parents but they would have no clue at all on how to truly protect him. So the next best thing was to get the boy to her sister. It made sense on a few levels. One, her sister was family. Two, she was a nurse and would be able to care for him better than his own mother could. And three, the most important, was the fact that her partner was a police officer. And not just a police officer but a Special Victims detective. The only thing better would have been a fed of some kind.

The small woman sat in the passenger seat with her hands in her lap. Even before coming to her parents for money she had been thinking a lot about her past. At one time she had dreams of being something. Maybe it was to be an actress or even just a director but she had big dreams of being in Hollywood. All that she got was a cocaine addiction and a son. Of course the boy was something she would never give up. She just hated that he had been conceived the way he had.

It had taken real restraint for the woman not to use her drug of choice for the seven months after she had found out she was pregnant. Worry had been instilled just at the thought that she might have done some kind of permanent damage to the boy because of her drug dependency. Conrad had been born a couple weeks early and a little underweight but he had been perfectly healthy and not addicted to any of the vices she had used. She was eternally grateful for that fact.

Leaving the boy with her sister especially with the note that she had was the most difficult thing she had ever done in her life. She knew that she was trapped now with Wild Bill. He owned her body and soul and there was only one way to gain her freedom. Unfortunately for the small woman she was not ready to kill. She was ready to sacrifice herself for her son. The woman looked out the window as the medium sized town flashed by in a blur wondering how many of them were enjoying the holiday with their families and suddenly being really jealous.

It reminded her of something. While she still felt, at least for the moment, that her son was better off with her sister there had been another reason she had come back. Through the years her sister had gotten things handed to her. Connie was the one that always had to work to get good grades. Up until Abby was in high school, she had been the golden girl and got all the accolades the ones that were to be had. Even after whatever happened and her sister was shamed she still didn't get her parents' affection.

_As soon as I get the money back and get a job I'll take back my boy. And I'll take you down somehow, big sis. You have it too easy and have all your life. First Mom and Dad fawned over you then you married Kevin a doctor. Now you have this tall dark and gorgeous detective taking care of you._ Connie sighed at the thought of her life. It had been the old cliché of drugs and rock n' roll and partying. Even after Conrad came along things changed very little.

Now she had a way out and she was going to take it. Connie glanced at her former lover. His eyes were glued to the road in front of them. Where they were going she had no idea. Where they would end up going she had no idea. _Just bide your time and wait for the right moment to strike both you Wild Bill and sister dear._ The woman shrank down in her seat and closed her eyes. It was something she had learned to do when any of her lovers had beaten her. Just close her eyes and wait. Tomorrow was a new day.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Kevin opened his black and blue nearly swollen shut eyes. The world was fuzzy. His mind was fuzzy. He was not even sure what day it was. Time was not something he could comprehend anymore. All that he knew was that the place he was being held at was warm. Warmer than it should be this time of year. It smelled. Not of a sewer but something familiar that he just couldn't place. Not that it would do him much good if he could.

The only thing he knew anymore was that he was being held against his will. He knew that he had been taken. There was only one voice that he ever truly could make out however long he had been kept in this hell hole. It was not a voice he was familiar with so he knew it wasn't Jenny. That was, looking back now, the biggest mistake of his life. Having gotten involved with the mob and all because he liked the ponies just a tiny bit too much.

The gambling debts had added up faster than he could blink. There was no way that he could go to his wife and beg for help. She was just a nurse and made not nearly as much money as he did. True her family was somewhat well off but there was no way that he would go to them for help. So there he was, about ready to lose his life when that bitch had come out of the shadows and into the light. Jenny Monroe was not someone to be trifled with.

It was almost as if she could get in your mind. That was what made her so dangerous in his estimation. True she had the goons that stood by her no matter what but that were not where her real power lies. Her real power was her brain. She could see into your very soul and then she could manipulate you. It was a scary thought and made the doctor physically ill. She had his number and there was no way that he could ever say no to her again.

That was what made this all not make sense. If she were behind this she was allowing one of her underlings to take charge. That wouldn't surprise the good doctor. At this point nothing would surprise him. After all his ex-wife was now with a woman. That was something that he never saw coming in a million years. While Abby had only a few friends and they were all women that meant nothing. There had never been any indicator that she was interested in women that way.

To top it off Abby had to be involved with a cop. Kevin managed a little growl though his throat was so dry it was almost stuck shut. There was no telling when he would get his next taste of what they called water or some tidbit of food. He sighed thinking that actually his wife's choice in lovers was now what he needed most. He needed a way out of the trap that he had fallen into without much help. The doctor looked up at the bright sunlight shining down and closed his eyes.

Thoughts of a time when life was simple came to mind. Even before he was married. That was when times were the best. He had married partly because he was drawn to the petite blond for some reason more than other woman he had ever been with. But more so he had married because it was what had been expected of him. His role in the family was to produce the next generation. But now that was an unlikely possibility as he figured his life was basically forfeit at this point.

The same voice he had come to know as his tormentor caught his attention. A figure that was not familiar at all to him whether he could see clearly or not came out of the shadows and into the sunlight. His hateful eyes kept her in his sight wondering if this was now it. "I'm sorry we've been treating you so poorly." Her features were of oriental descent that much was clear. Her long silky black hair shone brightly in the golden rays of the sun. "But you just can't fake getting tortured."

With that, she backhanded him. Blood flew from the doctor's mouth. His jaw had already been aching but now it felt like it was broken. _Damn she's strong!_ His eyes met her dark ones and they studied each other for a moment. Sensing that he truly was going to die he hoped to get out of her why. "I can understand that as a doctor. But why? What is it that you hope to gain by keeping me captive and then what? Killing me and dumping my body somewhere?"

"You are not as stupid as you look or as they say." There was a growl low in the doctor's throat. "You should just keep your strength. Although in about three days' time you will be no longer existing. Your death serves a greater purpose." The oriental woman came up and stroked his cheek as if with affection which he knew was not there. "You see, I need to get Samantha away from your ex-wife. The other ways I've tried have failed. You dying and your wife being prime suspect that will work. And then…"

_And then what? You crazy bitch! You really think that just because you get my ex's girlfriend by herself that she'll fall all over you? Wow! Talk about delusional._ "I'm sorry that I have to be used that way. I was thinking that Jenny was behind this. After all I do owe her a lot of money." He saw the flinches when he said the mob woman's name. _Does she own you as well? Are you freelancing? That could be very dangerous. Very dangerous indeed._

"I can make up the difference. She will only be slightly upset with me." Leslie Wilson began encircling her prey as she considered the good doctor. For a large man he was actually easy to get a hold of and to maneuver. It had saddened her that he had not been more of a challenge to capture. But when someone has a weakness as such as the bottle well they make themselves easy prey. "She forgives me for I have a certain skill. But I digress on that. You sleep now. Think about your life or lack thereof."

Kevin watched his tormentor walk back into the shadows. It wasn't long before he heard the sliding of a metal door. It confirmed what he knew that he was in some kind of warehouse. It gave him little to no hope of rescue for a couple reasons. They were probably out in the middle of nowhere but the bigger thing looming was his ex-wife. He knew that once she clung onto something, loved something, she would never let it go. That was why it was so easy to walk away from him. She never truly loved him at all.

()()()()()()()()()()()

"Take it easy, Adam!" Sam's voice called across the expanse of the backyard of the bed and breakfast. The two boys were almost two years apart but it seemed that they were better fitted than Adam's younger 'brothers' or the cousins. The older boy had tackled the younger one. They were playing football with Jeffry, Kyle, Brian, and Mike. "It's touch football not tackle!" The detective laughed at the ease it seemed that Conrad was fitting in with the Walker children.

Abby was sitting on the swing alongside Ella. The eight year old girl was not a tomboy like the detective had been growing up and seemed more than content to sit next to the petite blond. The nurse was half watching the game go on, watching her girlfriend play referee and working on her special salad that Melissa insisted that she make. Of course the young brown haired girl was loving helping with the cooking and loving absorbing anything that her new friend had to offer.

Robert had not been as thrilled with the situation of his sister being there along with the latest flavor of the month. Although if truth be told, she had never brought any of her other girlfriends to any of the family functions other than the insane Leslie and that was partly because she was from a different country and had nowhere else to go. The first handshaking between the nurse and the principal had been a little tense. But Abby had crinkled her nose along with a sweet smile and it had at least taken the frost off from the older man's heart for a moment.

His wife, Kera, had taken an instant shining to the petite blond. Later she told her husband in private that there was just something sweet and innocent about her. It seemed that she had a heart of gold and all that she really wanted was to make everyone around her happy. That was a rare quality and she could see why her sister-in-law had been taken with the nurse and so quickly. Abby was beautiful on the inside as well as on the outside.

Of course Robert was not that easily convinced and was keeping an eye on her from afar. He was watching the impromptu football game from the corner of the wrap around porch. Of course his other eye was constantly on his daughter and the nurse. There was still something that was not right in his mind with her and he was going to be damned if he fell into that trap that the rest of his family was falling into including his children.

Of course the mood and the manner in which Robert carried himself had not gotten lost on Melissa. She had been watching her oldest son. Of all her children, he always had been the most serious. It might because he was the oldest. It might be because he was the closest to her husband. Or it might just be his nature. She had never been sure just knew that of all her children he was the one that she worried the most about at least now that Sam had found someone.

The innkeeper slowly made her way up behind him. She could see him watching his children and the sad look on his face. That in turn saddened her because her own flesh and blood could not accept what made others happy. His children had always been close to their aunt. They had hated the distance that had come between them over the past year and a half. But her son on the other hand had welcomed the respite from his sister. It was time that she set her son straight.

"You should go and join them." Robert turned quickly at the sound of the familiar voice. He saw the look on his mother's face and knew instantly that he was in deep trouble. "You know that family is very important to me." As her son was about to say something she held up a hand to stop him. "It took years to get your sister to find happiness. With Abby she has that. And maybe soon they'll make a family by adding Adam to it. And now they have Conrad to take care of. Don't you get how important family is?"

Robert turned his back on his mother. He was the one that was most like his father. The man was stubborn, sensitive and caring. But he could also be pigheaded and to Melissa that was what he was being at the moment. "I know exactly how important family is. But you know that I have never accepted him…" The last word was said with a great deal of disdain. "As part of the family. Why would I accept the nephew of some woman that my sister is shacking up with?"

Melissa had had enough. She grabbed hold roughly of her son's arm and pulled the surprised young man back out of view. She kept leading the way until they were out of earshot of everyone else. "Listen here, young man. I have an inclination to take you out back behind the woodpile and take a switch to your ornery hide. Why your father is probably rolling over in his grave hearing what you just said. Don't you remember? It was him that always said that blood didn't necessarily make a family. Adam is as much your nephew as both Kyle and Brian. If you don't get your head out of your ass you may find that you aren't welcomed at the family gatherings. Your wife and children will be but not you."

Without another word the innkeeper shoved away past her stunned son. Robert would never guess that his mother would even think about disowning him. And yet he knew exactly how much family meant to her. He sighed heavily as he made his way back to his spot. Abby just then said something that made his daughter laugh. A few moments after that, Mike had caught a long pass from Adam and had run it for a touchdown. Life really was good and what it was supposed to be. He sighed still not liking it.

Conrad came running up to the porch Adam not far behind. The other two boys were pestering Sam trying to get her to join in the game now that they were down two players. The detective's eyes locked with Abby's green ones. There was a twinkling and mischief and the nurse winked her approval. She watched not in surprise or in awe just amused at how her girlfriend launched herself over the railing and bounded to join the game.

Abby took in the look of her nephew. He was a lot smaller in her mind than he should be. Of course not knowing the medical history of the boy she could only speculate that he was suffering from malnutrition. Of course Melissa was already seeing to remedying that by the fact that she had been stuffing all the children with goodies. The nurse set aside her large bowl of salad that was now complete. She was surprised and at the same time she was heartened when her nephew climbed up into her lap. His soft voice asked, "Did you see me get that touchdown?"

The nurse gently pushed away the strands of the sandy blond hair. She gave him a gentle squeeze of a hug and said, "I saw, Sweetheart. You are very good player." Of course this made her wonder if he had ever had the opportunity to play any sports before today. There was so much they had to get to know about the young boy. After he had fallen asleep they had talked long into the night about what they were going to do. It had been an easy decision. They just had to talk to the boy.

"I've never played before." Conrad looked up at his aunt's face. Though he didn't know her very well he thought that she looked very sad. He wanted to make her happy if he could. "I can go and try and score more points for you, if you want." The boy's blue eyes twinkled. He reached out and stroked the petite blond's face. "You have beautiful green eyes." His voice suddenly grew so quiet that the nurse had trouble hearing him. "Mom's are a dark chocolate and when she gets mad." The boy shuddered.

"Thank you. I've always like my eyes." Abby finally looked down into the blue eyes of her nephew. It startled her the color. Her father and she had green eyes. Her mother and her sister had the same brown eyes. No one in her family had blue eyes. In fact she really only knew two people that had eyes that blue of a color. It ran in Sam's family she knew but not the vivid shades that were her lover's and Adam's and now her nephew. A shudder ran through her and she knew she had something else to talk to the detective about. "I'd be honored if you score another touchdown for me. But why don't you guys go and find Melissa. I think you could use something to drink and a short break."

Abby watched the two boys tear off into the main entrance of the bed and breakfast. Ella had been sitting quietly most of the time. She was quite a bit more mature than any of the other children and had seen something in the older woman's eyes. But she knew not to say anything. It could be considered impolite. "I'll take this in to Grandma." She stood and picked up the heavy bowl but before she left she looked her new friend in the eye. "I'm not supposed to like you." That got a questioning look on the nurse's face. "Dad said we weren't supposed to. So don't tell him but I think you are totally awesome."

The nurse watched the young girl run off her mouth slightly open. It made her blood work up just a little and she could feel the slight coloring on her cheeks. She took several breaths trying to keep the innocent words of a very mature young girl from hurting too badly. Oh she had a great respect for Ella. It was that older brother of her girlfriend that was about to get her wrath if she was not able to calm down. As she continued to take several deep breaths someone sat next to her.

"I heard what she said." Jeffry had given up on playing the game and was intent on watching the couple of players that remained. The man that was the same age as her looked directly into her vivid green eyes that were tinged with anger. "There is no excuse for what he said or the ignorance that he is teaching his children. But I do want you to know that none of us, including his wife, feel that way." That got a faint smile on the nurse's face. "I've never seen my sister happier. That's all that matters to me."

The petite blond now felt a warmth for another reason. She was finding a family for the first time in her life. Her father was making an effort. Unexpectedly she had her nephew in her care. And now she had Sam's son, nephews and niece. That was not counting a mother and a brother that was welcoming her with open arms. It hurt that Robert was the way he was. But then not all people could be pleased or believed the same things. "Thanks. I hope I will always be able to make her happy, as happy as she makes me every day."

Their eyes finally left the hold that had been there and watched the two boys tackle Sam to the ground. Both knew that the tall strong detective could have easily gotten away from them. But she was a very good person especially good with children. It caused a pang inside of the petite blond that she had never felt before. Certainly never had she felt it with Kevin and was glad that the divorce had been simple. But watching her lover with all the children this morning it ignited something that had laid dormant deep within the nurse.

Jeffry watched her out of the corner of her eye. He tried not to let the smile that he was feeling show for he knew that look. Tina had gotten the look not long after they had taken in Adam as one of their own. Sometimes she still got that same look. While their children were over the sandy blond man was not opposed to having more children. He loved having the little ones around and he knew that they were both young enough to still be able to keep up with the energetic bunch that they would gain.

Debating for a bit he decided that though he really only knew this woman through one meeting in person in New York and various e-mails and some phone calls that he would bite the bullet and say what he was thinking. "She loves children." He made sure to keep his vision on his tall sister that had wrangled both boys and was mock threatening to dump them in the very cold lake. A blond blur could be seen as Abby turned her head so quickly to look him in the eye. "I'm sure she'd be open to it."

"Buh…" Abby shook her head trying to get her thoughts to settle. "Um…" _Damn! Am I that transparent? We haven't even been together officially for two months yet. It's almost too soon to have moved in together let alone marriage or children. Still…_ Finally she was able to gather her warring thoughts at least enough to offer a somewhat intelligent answer. "That's good to know." Her gaze remained steady on her brother as she was quickly warming to the idea of referring to him as. "I never even thought about having kids until I met your sister. You know…"

Jeffry put up a hand to forestall any explanation about her past. He didn't know the entire story but from what his mother had told him she had seen for herself the results of just how much of a jackass her ex-husband was. "I know that you weren't happy before. That's all I need to know." She looked at him with one eyebrow raised in question. "For one I know my sister. She has never been capable of having a lasting relationship because of a few things that happened in her youth."

At that moment, Adam came barreling through the back door followed closely by Conrad. The two really were becoming thick as thieves and in just a few short hours' time. To a stranger they very well might look like brothers with the exception of their hair color. Adam's was more like his Uncle Jeffry's and Conrad's was more like his mother's. But the facial features and especially those eyes made them look like they were at the very least related.

"Aunt Abby!" Conrad climbed up onto her lap and put both arms around her neck and hugged her as tight as little arms could manage. He leaned up and gave her a wet sloppy kiss. "I'm so glad Mom is letting me stay with you for a while. You know we never had a big dinner like this?" Those blue eyes blinked a couple times at apparently not so happy memories. In fact a stray tear fell down the sweet boy's cheek. The nurse gently wiped the single salty droplet away with a gentle finger. "I've never even seen a turkey before today."

Adam had been listening. He had seen the awe with which his new friend had watched as his grandmother had basted the turkey. For his family it was traditional to have a turkey and ham and all sorts of goodies not only on Thanksgiving but also at Christmas time. Without thinking he had said the same and saw his friend's face turn to one of real sadness then take off to which the slightly older boy had followed. The sadness in his friend's voice made him ache. "If you are around for Christmas I'm sure Aunt Abby and Aunt Sam will bring you here."

And just like that Abby was faced with twin set of blue eyes that were pleading. When she looked over at Jeffry a smirk crossed her lips. "You are so not helping." The same pleading look that was on the boys' faces was also on the newspaper man's face. "I swear you are just like your sister." The nurse shook her head. After all the chaos of the city and all the dark things that had happened to both she and her soulmate she felt a peace fall over her like none ever before. "You two are just like big kids."

None of them had heard Sam silently come up the steps. She had heard the last little bit of the conversation. Enough to know that she was a big kid. "I take that as a compliment." As she said this she ruffled first Adam and then Conrad's hair. "There's nothing wrong with being young at heart." She winked at her lover. A quick glance at her watch and she said, "Time to watch football. Dinner will be ready probably in a couple more hours. Let's go people!"

Abby stood and stretched ready to follow the rest of the troops inside. Truth be told though the temperatures were nice for late November she was beginning to get chilled to the bone. Her eyes were closed and she heard the door shut so assumed that she was alone. "Coming here was a great idea." That was when she felt herself pulled into a tight embrace. Without having to look she knew who it was that had her wrapped up in a warm loving embrace. "Haven't had much alone time."

Sam kissed the soft blond locks that were slightly disheveled from being out in the cool breeze of the autumn weather. Instantly she felt strong small arms wrap so tightly around her that it was almost impossible to breathe. The detective decided she liked the feeling very much and had missed the alone time. "Well, it is a family holiday. And we do have an unexpected bundle to take care of." When she felt the slight figure in her arms stiffen she quickly added, "Not that I'm complaining. Our nephew is a sweet boy that I think is starved for attention."

The petite blond relaxed both her body and the grip that she had around her lover. She reluctantly pulled back just a little to look into those blue eyes that had captured her even way back in the emergency room the first time they had saw one another. It hit her again just how much Adam and Conrad's eyes resembled her lover's. "I know he is. Do you know that he's never eaten turkey before? That they never did anything for Thanksgiving?"

"Figures." Sam had thought that something was not quite right with Connie after hearing both Ethan Ivey's description of his other daughter and of course what Abby had told her of their lunch meeting. Finding the boy on their doorstep had only been a shock because it had happened here in the detective's home town instead of back in New York where her girlfriend's family was from. "I have to place some calls when we take him back to New York. And we'll have to find some daycare for him."

The first thing that the petite blond noticed about what her girlfriend said was how she refused to refer to New York as home. While this was her first visit here, Abby could not agree more. The second thing she got out of that was how instantly Sam was taking in her nephew as her own and how much she was looking forward to taking care of him. "I'm sure that Mom would be willing to take care of him while we were at work."

That got both eyebrows raised. "Your mother?" Abby nodded. Sam felt horrible but could not help herself and burst out laughing. That got her a playful smack on her arm. "Sorry. It's just that your mother was not the most caring when it came to raising you." That garnered a sad look on the petite blond's face. "I'm sorry again." She gently tilted her lover's head so that she could give her a sweet and reassuring kiss. "We'll figure something out. I just don't…"

The detective was silenced by the smaller woman claiming her lips. This kiss was more than intense than the last one. It had all the love and desire that Abby had for her soulmate wrapped up into one. Finally they had to part so that they could breathe. Unknown to them they had gathered quite the audience. All the children, Melissa, Jeffry and Tina were all standing at the big bay windows watching the exchange. Only Robert and Kera were actually watching the game.

There was a sudden cascade of whooping and laughing that caused the couple to turn and look at what was so amusing. When they realized that they were the ones that were on display, Abby blushed furiously and buried her head in her lover's strong shoulder. Sam wrapped her arms tighter around her lover and made sure that everyone could hear her when she said, "You all are just jealous!" That got some catcalls mixed in with the rest. The detective rolled her eyes and whispered into her soulmate's ear. "Sorry. They're just…"

A muffled voice finished for her. "They're just family. And they love to tease." Abby finally pulled her head back from the warmth and the tranquility that she found there. "I know. It's just going to take a little to get used to. Never had anything quite like this before. We did the family gatherings but it was almost always catered. And after I got married well they sort of fell to the way side. I ended up volunteering to work almost all holidays. But now…"

"Now you have more than ample reason to take your holidays off." Sam kissed her gently one more time. Before she did she gave the group watching her best 'don't mess with me I'm not in the mood' looks. She made sure and got contact with each and every person watching before she commenced with the kiss. "You have got to be freezing. I'm a little chilly myself." Her look returned as they walked inside. The human beings parted like the Red Sea. _Good to know I still have the 'look' going for me._

Melissa watched as everyone went either to watch the football game in the main room or to the small game room that she had put together for the bed and breakfast. She turned and looked at her daughters for a moment. "That look doesn't work on me, young lady. And just for that look I'm taking the kids overnight. You two are punished. You are grounded and cannot leave your room until tomorrow morning at the earliest. Of course that is after dinner."

Without another word, the innkeeper walked off without a smile on her face but a grin in her heart. They both stared after the older woman not sure of what exactly to say. It had been a long time since either of them had been 'punished'. It was Abby that found her voice first. "Is your mother getting senile?" Sam gave her a questioning look. "Well it's just my definition of punishment and hers seems so different." She turned to look her lover's face. "Being locked in a room all alone with you for several hours is by no means punishment. In fact, Thumper likes a lot."

That caused the taller woman to burst out laughing. "Trust me Miss Kitty likes it a lot." Sam leaned down and her lips just barely brushed against the pink of her girlfriend. The detective smiled when she felt a shudder run throughout her soulmate's body. "I'll show you just how much I like it when we are being punished later." The raven haired woman started to laugh. Then suddenly she was tackling Abby to the ground.

The neck hairs on Sam's neck had prickled. Someone was aiming a gun at the couple she was sure. Without saying anything she managed to crawl and drag Abby without hurting the petite blond until they were safely in the kitchen. A look exchanged between her and Jared. They both made their way, through the back stairs, to their prospective bedrooms and gathered the guns that they had brought. When they got back to the kitchen Abby was in tears and Melissa was holding her tight.

Sam hated herself for making her girlfriend feel that way but she knew what she had felt. "Stay here. Make sure everyone stays away from the windows until we get back." The detective had her cell phone out. One handed she dialed the familiar number as she and her new partner made their way out the back of the bed and breakfast. "Charlie, it's Sam." She sighed. Her friend at the police department was a talker. "Shut up and just listen. Visiting Mom. Trouble has followed from New York. Need backup. Thanks."

Without waiting for a response the detective hung the phone up. Abby managed to get her tears under control. This was how she felt every time that Sam went to work only magnified by about a thousand as the threat seemed oh so real. Melissa held her tight and whispered words of comfort. All the things that she already knew. That Sam and Jared knew what they were doing. That they would not do anything stupid. That things would be all right they just had to have faith.

Abby was just starting to relax as she thought she heard sirens in the distance. At least there would be backup if there was something that had followed them from New York. It made her hate the way things were at the moment and wished that they could just be a normal couple that could enjoy their lives together without having to worry about…That was when the gunshots went off. The nurse stiffened in her mother-in-law's arms. "Sam…"


	20. Chapter 20

The curly blond hair was barely curly at all. In fact it was caked with grease and dirt from lack of washing. The eyes were an empty shell of what they had once been. The woman had been like this for the past few weeks ever since she had gone too far when it concerned her first and true love. As far as she knew Abby had recovered at least physically from the experience. She only hoped that she had recovered emotionally as well.

Of course the nurse had a support system. The tall dark haired drool worthy detective was hanging all over her most of the time. Amanda knew as she had several times watched the petite blond from afar. Of course according to her therapist and every fiber of her sane side she knew that was wrong. But there was a deeper voice inside her head that just told her to bide her time and they would once again be reunited. It was what kept her going.

And that was the problem in a nutshell. About ninety percent of her told her to stop what she was continuing to do. The other ten percent was the overpowering side that was making her want nothing but Abby. The wall in her bedroom was covered by pictures of the nurse that were taken from far away. And yet the beauty of the woman showed through as if they had been taken up close. The woman glowed with a beauty that took the business woman's breath away.

_Stop it! You snap out of this right now! She is not yours! She was only yours once and that was at bible camp for goodness sake! That was years ago. If you are lucky she still might considerer you a friend. You tried to break her and her girlfriend up. Definitely something is very wrong with you if you can't._ Amanda glanced at the pictures that were plastered on her wall. In almost all of them there was some part of Sam in them as well whether it be just a hand or a strand or two of dark hair.

Amanda began crying. She took a deep breath. The part of her that knew this was wrong finally, at least for a moment, took control. It wasn't easy for her but she took all the pictures down still with reverence. Instead of shredding them like she knew she should she tucked them deeply in her closet. It was a start albeit a small one. For a long moment she simply lingered there at the closet and stared. There were so many what ifs in her life. She would be darned if she let this be another one of them.

The curly haired woman went to her purse and took out her cell phone. She scrolled to the phone number that she had attempted to dial or text at least a hundred times in the past few weeks but had somehow the better sense won out and she had resisted. Now that she had made a decision she thought it was time to make a clean break from the woman that her mind just could not seem to get over. Slowly she scrolled to Abby's name. She hit the erase button.

Before that part of her that knew right from wrong could go through with it she instead canceled the deletion. Instead she started a text to the woman. It was simple. It just said that she hoped she was having a nice holiday and that she was happy. That was safe, right? That was generic, right? Amanda sighed as she knew that she had just blown all the therapy that she had been through in the past few weeks.

Slowly the curly haired blond made her way to the refrigerator and opened the freezer part of it. The quart of ice cream was in her hand before she could stop herself. A spoon was in her hand and she sighed heavily. It was one of her other coping mechanisms and she had the pictures to prove just how out of hand that could get as well. For now it was easier to deal this way then to deal the way that she should. She made her way into the living room and threw herself onto the couch and resigned herself to gorge herself on various foods the rest of the night. _Happy Thanksgiving to me._

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Jenny Monroe watched her Asian female employee as she left the warehouse. _This is starting to get old. She is starting to freelance a bit too much. I don't care if her father is the head of one the strongest families in China. Enough is enough._ "Drive." The man in the driver seat only looked up for a moment before he took off. Half the time he never knew where he was going but just drove through the back streets of New York trying to stay off the grid.

The mafia boss had a lot to think about this family holiday. Her celebration with her son was waiting for her. That was not the place she needed to go next though. There was a major amount of damage control still needed ever since her employee/competitor had struck out on his own. First was the fiasco with going after the detective. Had she known that her son would have been cleared she would have never started a feud with the woman.

Of course that was not the only problem that her former second in command had caused. Elliot had that twit Sierra Gregors trying to work things in his favor. That was a dangerous thing when two families tried to fight one another especially now that they police were so fully involved. "Go to the club." Dark eyes just barely dared a glance back before a nod. This was where the woman was sure to be. Ever since the woman had been disgraced she drank herself to oblivion. The holiday would only cause that to become worse.

The white car with lightly tinted windows pulled up to the back alley of one of the few legitimate operations that were completely legal. That didn't meant that things didn't go down that could be considered illegal. Like what she was about to have happen. A single button on her cell phone was pushed and it was not long before a woman of better than average height and built made her way to the back of the car.

Knowing better than to get in the car the wavy haired reddish blond haired woman crossed her arms over her ample chest and waited for instructions through the open window. It might appear that the woman was standing perfectly still but in fact her eyes were everywhere all at once. Her hearing was a little better than average and she was straining listening for sounds that were out of place for the very large city.

Jenny slid a little closer to the window not wanting her driver to hear. There were only a handful of people that she trusted with every aspect of her business. Her son and her brother were two. The large but fit woman standing at attention waiting for instructions was the only other. "We have a situation. Two birds need to be taken care of. I'm afraid they've gotten too big for the nest and need to learn how to fly. One of them is inside. You know her."

Maxine 'Max' Smith knew exactly who her boss was talking about. There were only three people that Jenny had not been happy with over the past few months. One was male so it was not the one that she had hoped for. They had an old score to settle. Unlike some though she would bide her time until it was appropriate to take her vengeance on him. That left the Asian nut job and the blond trolip. In a way she was glad it was Sierra. There was something about that nut job that actually scared the thug.

"I'll see that she 'accidentally' has too much to drink." Jenny smiled at the plan that her second in command had come up with. As someone that was known as a drunk it would be easy to slip her a little something that would cause the alcohol to take a quicker toll on the abused body. "As for the other bird, she'll be a little more difficult to clip her wings. But I assure you that this particular dark bird will not be seeing the new year."

Their eyes met just for the barest of seconds. Jenny's eyes twinkled just for a moment before they returned to their dark cesspools. "As always you please." She nodded to the driver who started the car. "Of course will be more pleased when we can get that damned cursed hawk out of my hair. He is the real problem but harder by far to get rid of." The mob leader saw the glassy look that went over her second in command for a moment. That was a good sign. It meant that she was coming up with a plan. "Home. Time to enjoy my holiday."

Max watched as her boss drove out of the parking lot. While the larger woman enjoyed power she was not power hungry enough to take what was not hers. She knew that if something should ever happen to her boss it would be the boy that took over. But ingraining herself into every aspect of the business ensured that she would always be needed and always well taken care of. That brought a bit of a sneer upon her face as she turned back to her domain.

The music was loud. It was rock 'n roll music from the eighties in this throwback bar. In fact it had the cheesy neon and lasers shooting around the bar. Even most of the patrons seemed to be stuck in a time warp with their clothing and hair styles. One of the more modern looking and better dressed ones happened to be at the bar still. A quick establishment of eyes with the bartender and four fingers were held up so that the boss new how many drinks had already been served.

The stout woman made her way to the bar careful to avoid most if not all of the security cameras as she handed the bartender something. Though this was a legitimate business a handful of the staff were anything but legitimate. The ones that weren't on the level were ex-cons that could not get hired anywhere else. Some had gone to jail while working for Jenny and the head of the mafia always took care of those that took care of her. Of course she also took care of those that tried to cross her as well.

Max and the male bartender never established eye contact again. Instead they went their separate ways. The ample chested woman made her way back to the office while the bartender slipped something into the glass that was then filled with tequila and then set in front of the blond. Sierra was so far gone that she didn't even realize what it was that she was drinking only that a full glass was sitting in front of her and she inhaled not tasting anything.

A couple hours later and the police were called to a side alley about twenty blocks from Jenny's club. An unidentified white female had been found passed out. On top of it the woman had appeared to have been sexually assaulted. The B-team was working on the case until the A-team was back from their holiday. Had Sam and Steve been available they would have known exactly who it was that had been found just barely alive.

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Sam had rushed past the oncoming police cars not caring to explain about what was going on. The detective was running as fast as her long legs could carry her with a determined Jared attempting to keep up. The pair got some curious looks especially from a few of the on duty officers that recognized the tall dark haired woman practically running a marathon past them. Those that did know her knew that the woman went all out when it came to a case. What they had never seen was how determined she got when it was personal.

Pointing a sniper rifle at her and her girlfriend was more than personal. It was a vendetta. One that  
Sam fervently hoped would not spill anymore into her personal life than it already was especially now that she had another little person counting on her. Abby was tough and could if need be take care of herself. But that little eight year old boy had just been abandoned by his mother. There was no way in Hell that she was going to let him get hurt.

It took the tall woman only a couple minutes to make it the almost quarter mile away from the bed and breakfast. When she got to where she knew a shooter had once been she stopped dead in her tracks. And that bothered her more than anything. There was not one sign of any kind of tracks. In fact it looked like they took a small garden rake or even a medium sized branch with fingerlike stems going off from it to the ground.

Yet when she glanced up in the tree it still held evidence of not a deer stand but of the spikes that would be used to climb a tree or telephone pole and then hold one's position. Sam knew beyond hope that there would not be any skin scrapings. Already she could tell that they were dealing with a professional. Maybe even a hired hit man and if that were true…The shudders literally ran up and down her spine at the very thought.

The detective could hear Jared and a couple other officers gaining on her position. For a moment she closed her eyes and just breathed in the scents around her and took in the sounds ignoring the sounds made by the police officers. Her head jerked and she moved behind the tree as yet another gunshot went off. All the cops that had been running toward her either hit the ground or found a tree to hide behind. From the resounding echo that was left in the wake of the rifle spending its round the sniper had to be at least two miles away already.

Either the culprit was in even better shape than Sam or they had some kind of transport. Yet the detective had not heard of any kind of motor vehicle of course at first she had been quite distracted by the bundle of petite blond that was in her arms. Perhaps maybe…The tall woman carefully made her way out of her hiding spot almost certain that person had shot into the air and it was simply a warning for them not to follow.

_Not a problem at least not right away. I need to get back to Abby and the rest of my family. But I can't tell them this._ Making sure that it showed that she was not going to go far from the tree, Sam looked around for signs of any kind of vehicle. That was when she saw the many leaves that appeared almost as if they had naturally fallen. However to her trained detective eyes she could see they were left that way to cover…

Heavy footfalls caught her attention. The detective made a mental note the location of what all she had found and vowed to take a closer look at it the next day. Right now she needed to talk to the heavy set man that she knew without looking was headed directly for her. A small smile played upon her lips as she quickly made her way away from the crime scene and closed the gap to meet her old partner and friend Charlie.

The male detective was well over six foot tall and had the girth that made it difficult for him to keep up with the fit young officers under his command. The man had a military style haircut. Because of the shortness of it the powdered white stood out more than the soft red tones. The mustache also showed more signs of white then the once vibrant red that Sam remembered fondly. The man was panting as he stopped and allowed the dark haired woman to close the gap. "You're out of shape, Charlie."

The officer in question was leaning over with his hands on his knees his breath coming out in gasps. His almost translucent eyes glaring at his friend and former protégé. "Yeah, and you had to go off to New York to teach those city folks everything I taught you." Finally he was able to manage standing upright though his breathing was still a little bit ragged. "So what in the blazes is this all about? I mean jeez Walker! Don't hear from you in months then that phone call."

Sam watched as he crossed his arms over his ample beer gut. _There is no way that he could fit into his dress blues anymore. How sad._ She sighed trying to figure out just what to tell the man. Part of her wanted to have the crime scene unit take a look around. But she knew they would not find anything so it would be a waste of time. Not to mention she wanted to keep this from Abby. That made her internally wince knowing that keeping secrets, even ones that were meant to protect, was dangerous in a relationship.

_Not that you've had much experience with relationships now have you._ She shook her head at just how stupid she had been over the years. But the feeling of being burned so deeply by one person had left her broken when it came to trusting anyone enough to open herself up completely. _Irony how it took a nurse to heal my emotional wounds._ She managed to just keep in a chuckle as Charlie's eyes would not leave her. She had to come up with something. "I overreacted. I heard gunshots. Turned out to be a deer hunter." Somehow she managed only a slight blush. Deception not one of her strong suits with the people she is closest to.

Charlie eyed his former detective. While she seemed sincere he had been her senior officer on the beat and then her partner as a detective for over five years before her move to the big city. He knew her like he knew the back of her hand. There was something she wasn't telling him. But instead of saying anything he decided to let it go. _Your acting skills have gotten rusty my friend. Or you forget how well I know you._ "Dee hunter, huh?"

Sam knew in an instant that he wasn't buying her act. At one time he would have called her on it. Today, whether it was because of the holiday or if he was trusting her to tell him when she was ready she was not sure. "Yep. I felt the gun trained on me. Luckily I think something got the hunter's attention and he/she decided to change directions." Her blue eyes pleaded with him to just take what she was saying. _I hate lying. I hate lying. I hate lying._

There was almost a sadness in his friend's eyes. It was pleading. It was heart wrenching. It was causing him to actually take a step back. _Damn! I forgot how good an actress you could be. No wonder you were always the best at going undercover. Shit even when the criminals knew you were a cop you still convinced them that you were one of them. Damn I miss you girl!_ "All right. I'll let the rest of the gang know that it was exactly a false alarm just nothing for us to get serious about." He shot her a very serious look. "You keep in touch. I want to meet the woman in your life. According to your mother you are considering marriage?"

Blue eyes rolled and she sighed heavily. It was true though. The ring was still at the jewelry store waiting for her to pick it up. It was waiting just for the perfect time for to make the proposal. "She would say that. After all she has Abby and I staying in the honeymoon suite of the bed and breakfast." The detective laughed. "My mother is so subtle. Not!" They stood for a moment longer before the raven haired woman began to shift her weight nervously. "Um, speaking of my girlfriend I should get back. Perhaps we can get together tomorrow or Saturday. We leave really early Sunday morning."

The translucent eyes that had been regarding her to see exactly was the detective up to drew a blank. He could not tell if she wanted to talk business or if she really simply just wanted to get reacquainted and he was not sure. Wasn't that way when he knew her in the old days. If anyone could keep a straight face it was Sam. He had learned early on in their relationship never ever to play poker with those steely eyed blue orbs. 'Losing your shirt' took on a whole new meaning. "Possibly tomorrow. It was good to see you."

"Thanks for everything." Sam pulled the big man into a hug. "It was good to see you. Now I have some unfinished business to get back to." She wriggled her eyebrows and it caused the big man to blush the color of a fire engine. That caused the detective to laugh and gently swat the big man on the arm. Her blue eyes made contact with Jared. They walked back toward the bed and breakfast until they were out of earshot. "Trouble. Not sure what kind. Most likely followed from New York but I don't know. Whoever it was was a pro. Nothing left behind. Don't tell anyone anything other than it was a deer hunter."

Jared stopped in his tracks. He turned to look at the slightly taller woman. He searched her face before he spoke to her. "Look. I'm not going to lie to Melissa." Sam wanted to say something but the police officer quickly continued. "Since we don't really know what happened I'll just nod when you tell the story. If she asks anything specifically…" His voice trailed off but his choice was clear. The older man would not lie to his girlfriend.

Instantly the detective was beginning to rethink what she was going to tell Abby. They slowly resumed their slow walk toward the three story homey looking bed and breakfast. There on the front porch swing was Abby and Conrad. Part of the tall woman wanted to chastise her girlfriend. But the part that was her heart felt it swell with a warmth that could melt an ice berg. "Ok. Tell the truth. I just can't do that to her. I should. To keep her safe. But just seeing her…" Sam sighed. "I can't…"

Without even thinking about it the police officer reached out and put his hand gently on the taller woman's forearm. Their eyes met in total understanding. They were both, as her partner back in New York would say, whipped. Sam got a quirky look on her face at the thought. _Whoever would have thought that I liked being whipped?_ Her face then blushed at the way her own thoughts could be taken. She blinked several times trying to get her mind out of the gutter.

Abby was watching as they approached. While she had twenty/twenty vision it was hard to make out exactly the facial expression on her girlfriend's face. She could tell that several things were going through her detective's mind. The raven haired woman had even stopped having what to most would look like a casual conversation with Jared. But to the nurse it was anything but casual. Though they had only known each other now for three short months and lived together for about a month she knew her lover's body language well. There was no way that she was relaxed.

Through sheer will alone the petite blond kept herself seated with her arm gently draped over her nephew's shoulders. While he was becoming quite attached to Adam he was more attached to his aunt. It was odd since they had only met the one time before her sister had unceremoniously dropped him at the bed and breakfast. Green eyes met with blue and in that instant she just knew that it was more than just something minor. The nurse sighed heavily.

Jared made his way back into the bed and breakfast to tell everyone else what was happening. Sam on the other hand took the open seat that the pair had left on the very large swing. It felt like a natural thing when the boy put his hand on her leg. The detective smiled at the gesture. Of course it also saddened the raven haired beauty as she could not do this with her son. At least not and claim him as her son. Her look got distant and sad.

Abby leaned down and kissed her nephew on the forehead. "Why don't you go and find Melissa. I'm sure she has a cookie with your name on it. But not too many. We'll be having dinner soon." Conrad looked from his aunt to the tall woman that made him feel equally as safe. A small smile was upon his face and he took off at a dead run. The nurse closed the gap between the couple and laid a head on a strong shoulder. "We have a lot to talk about don't we?'

Sam sighed heavily. There was a lot that had happened in just a short time. That didn't even include what she had kept from Abby before they had left New York. "First, it was not a deer hunter. It was someone sent to take me or you out." Abby instantly sat up trying to make eye contact. When her girlfriend wouldn't turn her head she forced her to oh so gently with the tip of her finger. There was so much pain there that it took the nurse's breath away. "I never intended for you to get caught up in all of this. I wish…"

The nurse got up out of the swing so fast that she almost caused the detective to topple backwards. It was only the lightning fast reflexes of the raven haired beauty that kept her from going over the swing backwards. Sam's blue eyes clearly said, 'what the hell just happened'. Abby had this scowl on her face and she had put her hands on her hips. "If you say anything like 'I wish we hadn't met' or 'I wish no one new about us' or anything even remotely close to that and I will seriously kick your ass."

An outburst of laugher escaped Sam. It was not that she didn't take her girlfriend seriously. She knew better. The woman might be smaller but that did not make her any less of a physical force especially since being attacked at the hospital. She had proven that when Amanda had come after her. "Sorry. I just love it when you are forceful." That got a half grin out of the nurse. The detective sobered quickly. "What I wish was that there was a place that we could all go that is safe. But not even here is safe anymore. And that hurts."

The petite blond held out her hands to which the raven haired beauty instantly took. Abby laid her head against the chest of the woman that she loved. She put one hand on her shoulder and the other on her waist. Sam mimicked the placement of the hands opposite of her girlfriend. If there had been music playing it would have been as if they were dancing. They even began to slightly sway to an unheard melody. "This…" The nurse let go just for a moment and gestured at both of them. "Is home for me. When I am with you, no matter what is going on with the outside world, I am safe."

Green eyes closed as she could feel and hear the steady heartbeat below the layers of the jacket and the sweater that the detective was wearing as once again her head was against her lover's shoulder. Sam's strong arms pulled Abby tighter against her and her chin was softly resting on the soft tendrils of blond hair. Her own blue eyes closed as they were still slowly swaying to…The detective opened her eyes and looked toward the door left open by Conrad.

Melissa was standing there with her portable CD player. She was in the process of setting the mini stereo on the front porch when her blue eyes met her daughters. There was a bit of pain in them and the detective knew that was because Jared had informed her what had happened. Sam winked at her mother before she returned her attention fully to her girlfriend. The soft music continued to play and the couple continued to dance though truly they just barely moved.

Apparently the innkeeper had put the CD on repeat because the same soft music continued to play for a half an hour before either the detective or the nurse realized it had been that long. It wasn't until both Conrad and Adam were sent out to break up the love fest and tell their two favorite people that it was dinnertime did Sam and Abby realize just how much time had gone by. Their noses and tips of their ears were just a tad pink from the colder temperatures.

Conrad took Abby's hand while Adam took Sam's hand. The boys pulled them into the main dining hall. The entire family was already sitting there waiting for them. Usually the nurse would have been embarrassed by such a moment. Instead she stared each and every person at the table down until the knowing smirks were wiped off the faces. She knew it was all in good fun and so was her attempt at acting like her girlfriend. "Sorry we're late. We got caught up."

That got a round of laughter from around the table. Abby simply shook it off and started to sit down. She was surprised by the fact that Sam was there behind her chair and holding it out for her. The nurse looked over her shoulder and got a wink for her troubles. As Sam began to sit down she was surprised when on one side of her chair was Adam and the other side was Conrad. "Well at least some of the young men in this family still have manners." The detective winked at both the boys.

They beamed at her and quickly took their seats on either side of the couple. The meal started off in relative silence. Everyone had been informed, with the exception of the children, what had happened. While Jeffry was not thrilled with violence so close to home like what had happened with Leslie he knew that his sister would do anything to protect her family including staying away. The last year plus had been hard on him and the rest of his family, especially Adam, since her move to New York.

Robert of course was seething inside. He had always wondered just how everyone could put his sister on such a pedestal. Not counting the fact that she was a lesbian which was plain and simply unnatural she had now put her family in danger numerous times. And that was just the amount of times that they knew about. He for once had had enough and wasn't about to silenced. Not even by his mother who could be quite scary at times. "I think that Sam and her friend should leave as soon as dinner is done."

There were several clinking sounds as silverware came to a halt or dropped to the fine China that Melissa only brought out for special occasions. Sam took a breath to speak but she was surprised when she heard a sweet voice just to her right speak. "My name is Abby." Her normally warm green eyes had gone cold and were no match for the icy blue ones that tried to match her in intensity. The petite blond bore a hole into the tall dark haired young man. "But you already knew that. Why is it that you want us to leave?"

The principal glanced around the table looking for support. Not even his wife would meet his eyes. Instead she smiled shyly at the nurse who softened her gaze and gave her the barest of winks before returning her ice cold stare to her lover's older brother. "I can't believe that no one is with me on this. First we had the incident at the park…" He refused to say more because of the children. He was only a partial jerk. "And then my sister freaks out over what could be nothing or maybe something scaring everyone senseless. Am I the only one who sees her for what she is?"

Sam was about to stand and make her way over to her brother but a firm hand on her thigh kept her seated. While it was usually the detective that handled situations like this Abby for some reason felt that it was her turn to try and make the slightly older man see reason. "And what is she?" Before he could make a sound the nurse answered for him. "She's someone that is dedicated to protecting people. She's someone that is always there for her family and friends. She's honest, smart, funny and simply amazing."

Robert kept his eyes directly on the nurse's face. "You would see her like that." Even though he hated the thought of having a lesbian for a sister even he could see just how deep the feelings flow inside the nurse for his sister. "You are blinded by what she has done to you." Melissa made a noise and he tore his gaze away from his enemy because that was exactly how he was beginning to regard the petite woman. "Don't you start mother. We all know you have a soft spot for her. And don't think I don't know why."

The wicked smile on his face made Melissa blanch. It appeared if the innkeeper was going to pass out she had tuned so white. Jared was immediately out of his chair and was kneeling next to his girlfriend. There was a secret. There was something that she had thought only her husband and one other man knew. Her relationship with the police officer was still too new in her mind to share it with him. The one person she should have shared it with was sitting next to the nurse who looked like she wanted to jump out of her chair and show off some of her defensive moves.

Jeffry took in the look on his mother's face and the one on his brother's face and decided that it was time to act. "Hey guys, I know we just started eating but why don't we go and see how the football game is going." The two daughter-in-laws were up and helping the youngest of the Walker siblings to heard all the children into the living room. It was out of earshot especially with the television's volume high enough. Conrad was fighting going but one smile and wink from Abby and he reluctantly allowed himself to be hauled off with the rest of the children.

In the meantime some of the color had returned to Melissa's face. She took her cloth napkin and wiped her mouth and then threw it on her nearly full plate of food. Slowly she stood and made her way to stand in front of her oldest child. Jared stayed at the head of the table waiting to see when his support was needed. "You are a spiteful human being. If you say one word about what I think you were going to say you will no longer be welcomed in this home. Your wife and children will be and I will make sure that they come here despite your attitude little man."

Robert stood to his full height which caused him to tower over his mother. His blue eyes were once again cold as ice bergs. He leaned in and whispered in her ear so that no one else at the table could hear what he had to say. "You would take that bastard's side over dad's flesh and blood." Melissa stiffened just a little. "That's right, Mother. I know that you slept with that Italian when he stayed here. Why do you think she has that naturally slightly tanned skin that none of the rest of us have?"

Melissa watched as her son took a few steps backwards. He had a smug look upon his face and at the moment all she wanted to do was wipe the look off his face. So she did what she always did. "I won't disown you. But you probably will be by the rest of your family including your wife for what you've tried to do tonight." The innkeeper looked at the two women she considered her daughters. "I'm afraid I have to spoil your holiday thanks to your half-brother."

A blond and a dark head almost got whiplash they turned so fast to look at the woman standing there. "I should have told you this a very long time ago. Only two men, I thought, knew the truth. Apparently your brother figured it out as well." Melissa made her way over so that she was standing in front of the two women. They were now slightly turned in their chairs and looking up at her expectedly. She took a deep breath before she began her shocking tale. "The man who you thought was your father was overseas the year that you were born."

Not being able to maintain standing she decided that she needed to sit in a chair. It was as if Jared read her mind and instantly there was her chair from the head of the table waiting for her. "Thank you." She patted his hand absently as she sat down. "You see, daughter, we have something more in common that your brother even realizes. He thinks, I'm sure since he thinks the worst of everyone, that I had an affair on your father."

Suddenly Robert got a sinking feeling as to where this conversation was headed. All he had ever known was that timing of the birth of his sister meant they could not share the same father. After his father had died he had helped his mother go through some papers. His father had kept everything though he was military. One of the things he kept was his deployment records. His father had been shipped out a full two months before his mother would have gotten pregnant with his sister. The math had added up to one thing. The woman he called mother had been unfaithful.

That was until she had just said what she said. The man sank back down in his chair as he realized what was happening. It was like time had repeated itself when his sister had been raped and Adam had resulted from it. "I didn't know." He said it so softly that only Sam had heard him. Her mind was reeling with what was about to be revealed to her and the fact that her brother never even considered any other possibilities made her sick to her stomach.

A strong hand was on her shoulder and Melissa was grateful that her boyfriend was standing behind her. "As I said, your father was overseas. He had been gone for just over two months. I was helping your grandmother run the bed and breakfast. Your grandfather had passed away about five months before and she was having a hard time coming to terms with that and to face all the strangers that came with running such a business."

Melissa took one of Sam's hands into her own and one of Abby's in the other. As best that she could she tried to maintain eye contact with both women. "Your grandmother was in a deep depression when a traveler from Italy came to stay here." Both young women swallowed hard. "The Italians are quite amorous and this blue eyed dark haired man was no different. Even after explaining I was very happily married he…"

Tears streamed down her face. It was truly the first time in almost ten years since she had thought of the rape and then it was only because of what had happened to her own daughter. Now her son was making her relive the most painful time in her life. As with Sam the only thing that made the pain and degradation that she went through worth it was the fact that an amazing innocent life had come to be. "Honey, I want you to know that your true father, not the one that raped me, the one that loved and accepted you as his own. He told me he was so proud of you before he died."

That was it. That was all that the normally tough detective could handle. She collapsed against Abby her entire body sobbing with grief. Grief that her mother had to go through something so traumatic like she too had done. Grief that her own brother had to be such an insecure man that he would bring something like this up at a family gathering. And grief for the fact that her life was never going to be the same. It was the imperfect ending to a day that had started out perfect.


	21. Chapter 21

Melissa had sent Sam and Abby to their room. Jeffry and his wife had taken the entire brood home with him including Conrad. The boy had protested at first but after reassurances from his Aunt Abby and the fact that it meant he was going to be spending the night with Adam he had finally gone willingly. That left four people in the dining room dealing with the after math of the mess that had started out as a much needed family holiday.

Kera wanted nothing more than to go home with her children. Or better yet she wanted to go home and pack up her things as well as the children's. She was a teacher and would have trouble making ends meet on her salary alone yet it was clear that her husband was not the man that she had married. Only briefly hearing what had happened in this room that Melissa was sitting at the table with Jared still standing behind her. Her older son was still slumped in the chair. The teacher had taken up residency next to her mother-in-law.

In fact the teacher was holding the cold hand of her mother-in-law. It made her shiver internally at what emotional pain that her smug bastard of a husband had inflicted. When they had first met there were a few things that they didn't agree upon the most significant was his sister. That her cousin was gay never seemed to bother her husband but the thought that his sister was somehow different. He had always said that she was just beneath everyone but they all just gave into her because she was the only female in the family.

Never would she have guessed that it was years and years of jealousy and anger that had festered beneath the surface that had caused her husband not only to not like his sister but also had held a grudge against his mother as well. It seemed that Sam actually finding someone and settling down into a domestic situation had triggered whatever had festered so deep below the surface. He had been beginning to teach her children bigotry. That was something she would not tolerate.

Even before they had come to the family gathering she had tried to talk to Robert but he simply would not see reason. It was frustrating that a grown man that had such a loving, caring, devoted and understanding mother would hold something against her. Sam was a different story as part of her just thought that it was sibling rivalry. That was something, as an only child, that she had never been a part of but her aunt had a family of five and saw plenty through them.

The tension was thick you could cut it with a knife. Melissa was holding a handkerchief that had been provided by Jared to her eyes. They had been sitting like this for almost an hour now. It seemed that no one wanted to be the one to go first. It was unusual for the innkeeper to be at a loss for words but what her son had done had cut her to the quick. "I tried to keep this from not only Sam but from everyone. It was hard enough for your father to know. But unlike you, he was a caring man."

When Robert looked at his mother he noticed that a fresh set of tears were flowing slowly down her face. He had mostly been thinking about the best way to get revenge on his sister. Truthfully he would never want to hurt his mother like he had and yet without thinking things through he had just humiliated his mother and had possibly cost him his family. "I wanted to be so much like him. I even tried to get into the Navy. But…"

The deep voice trailed off. It didn't matter that he was not up to snuff for any of the military branches. Hell he had even tried The Coast Guard and The National Guard. He had tried serving his country through the reserves and still he had been rejected. Serving by becoming a police officer never occurred to him and he was jealous that his sister had chosen that route. If he really allowed himself to think about it he was jealous of the life his sister chose to lead even before she found Abby.

And that also caused jealousy for the principal. While he loved his wife it was not the eternal flame kind of love. In a way he had settled for the first pretty woman that had given him the time of day. He knew that Kera was infatuated with him and until now had put him on a pedestal. That he had fallen from and into a patch of burning coals that also had broken shards of glass. That was exactly how far he had fallen from grace.

Melissa shook her head sadly loving the feel of Jared's hands on either side of her neck. There was just the hint of a gentle massage and it was helping to ward off the migraine that was sure to follow after the stress that the day had turned into. _First shooting at my children and don't think I don't know this is from New York Samantha Walker. Then Robert has to go all vengeance demon on us._ She sighed heavily. "What made your father great was not the fact that he was in the service."

Robert could not even lift his head to look at his mother. He knew it was true. She wasn't saying much but what she was spoke volumes. Finally he had enough of the scrutiny. He had enough of the shame. Standing so quickly that the chair slammed to the ground with a resounding crashing sound. "I don't need this. What I do need is to be around people that are honest. People that don't hide things from their families." He turned to his wife and asked though he was sure that he already knew the answer. "You coming?" A shake of the head was his answer. "Figures. To Hell with you all!"

They all winced when first the dining room door slammed shut and then the front door. There was the unmistakable sound of tires squealing. Melissa thought she heard a thunking sound such as someone hitting her mailbox. That would not be a surprise as she knew how her son drove when he was upset. The innkeeper turned toward her daughter-in-law. "We can give you a ride to Jeffry's or you can stay here with us. In fact you can stay here as long as you like."

When their eyes met it was as if the younger woman was pleading with the older woman. To the innkeeper the two women were a lot alike. Most people had said that was her oldest son's attraction to the teacher. If truth be told Melissa would have said that Kera was more like an angel because there was no other way that anyone could put up with her son for as long as she had. But that was cruel thoughts to think about her own son and yet it felt dead on.

Kera looked like she was thinking about it but it really was a simple decision at least for now. "If it's not too much trouble could we swing by the house?" Her hazel eyes were like a fawn's eyes pleading so softly with the blue ones of the older woman. "I'd like to pack some things for the kids and for myself. Then you can drop me off at Jeffry's. Six kids is a lot for just two people to deal with. I'll sleep on the floor at least for tonight. I don't want to transport the kids again."

Quickly Melissa stood and her daughter-in-law followed suit. They stood there looking at one another just for a moment before the older woman pulled her into a bear hug. She whispered in her ear just to confirm her offer, "You and the children always will have a place here even if I have to sleep on the couch. I want my family with me. That includes that lunk head that is your husband." They pulled apart and smiled at one another. Then they started to laugh.

Jared just stood and watched the two women. To him it was unusual that the two women would simply burst out laughing after both being in tears for at least the past two hours. He rubbed his stubble covered chin but knew that he would never figure out how women thought. _I wonder if lesbians have this trouble._ That caused him to start chuckling along with the infectious laughter that was going on between the two women.

Melissa winked at her boyfriend and wrapped an arm around the shoulders of her daughter-in-law. "Come on!" She stopped by the phone that was behind the very small desk area. After picking up the old corded phone she dialed the extension for the honeymoon suite. It was Abby's voice that answered. It was obvious that the nurse had been crying as well. "Hey, Honey. Just wanted you two to know that we are headed out for a bit. Gonna go get some things for Kera and the kids then drop them off at Jeffry's. Shouldn't be too long. How is she?"

There was a muffled sound and then the distinct opening and shutting of the balcony doors before Abby would answer. Even after Melissa was sure that the petite blond was outside as there was the distinct sound of wind causing a crackling sound on the handheld receiver. "She's hurting. Badly. I wasn't around for when what happened when she was raped but I think it's brought the whole ugly scene back. Of course it was almost like she was getting raped all over again and this time it was her brother's words. I'm going to keep just holding her."

"That's the best thing you can do, Honey." Melissa shook her head and sighed heavily. "Just when you two were so happy this has to happen. I'm sorry for what my son did. However I'm not sorry that the truth is out there." The innkeeper took a breath to steady herself. "Just tell my daughter that I love her and that I will be here for her. See you both in the morning." She heard the goodbye and the click of the phone. "All right, let's get out of here."

The threesome made their way out into the cold crisp air and were surprised by the fact that a light dusting of snow was covering the ground. The snow was still lightly falling and the three hurried their pace a little. They all knew after living where they had all their lives that a light snow fall could turn into a blizzard in the blink of an eye. They climbed into Jared's big SUV and made their way carefully through the night.

It wasn't till almost midnight that Melissa and Jared arrived back at the bed and breakfast after dropping off Kera. The innkeeper wanted nothing more than to avoid going back into the dining room until at least she had processed all that had happened in her now least favorite room. However there was leftover beyond leftover to be put away seeing no one had finished with their dinner. The police officer wanted to say something but figured that cleaning was one way that his girlfriend worked through things.

Indeed it was how Melissa worked things through. Like a whirlwind that was somewhat inhibited slightly by the presence of her boyfriend it did not take long until the entire main floor of the bed and breakfast was back in immaculate condition. That put the time at almost one in the morning. Finally feeling the full effects of the emotional day and the slight physical exertion from the cleanup the innkeeper decided that it was time to call it a night.

Without saying a word she took Jared's hand in her own and made her way to her bedroom on the main floor. It was the only bedroom that remained on the main floor as Melissa had turned one into the gaming room. Another had been turned into a romantic nook complete with fireplace. There was one that was dedicated to an office like feel for those that were actually on business. And the other former bedroom was now a huge whirlpool and sauna room in one.

The couple looked shyly at one another for a long moment of time before they shared a sweet and tender kiss. Tonight was not going to be a night about love making. Melissa was not ready for that. Oh they had already been intimate it was just the influx of memories from thirty some years ago that her son had brought back to the forefront. After having been in counseling for years she knew that what she had gone through would always be there and there would be things that would bring it to so painfully to her conscious mind but with family and friends and her lover she knew she would get through it again.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Abby had been the one to tug on Sam to get the detective to escape from the emotional storm that Robert had just caused. It was not just the taller woman that was affected. Through thoughtlessness one person had caused a deep pain for an entire family. It was not a rift in the family so much as just a huge knife wound that was going to take months if not years to properly heal. The nurse knew that things would not be healed in one night but she knew that a bandage needed to be applied or her girlfriend might just very well go over the deep end.

What the petite blond suspected was that Sam would try and take all the pain upon herself. Not just the refreshed memories of ten years ago when her body was so violently violated but also that of her mother's. While finding out that you have a lot in common with your parents is normally a good thing Abby knew that the detective would never wish what happened upon her to happen to anyone else. That was part of the reason that she had become a police officer in the first place.

Then there was the other thing that her girlfriend was going to have to deal with. And honestly the nurse was not sure which one would be more difficult. Shouldering the pain of others seemed to come naturally and almost too easy to the raven haired beauty. It was when she was in any kind of pain that Sam struggled. Not exactly the same but when the detective had been in the hospital she had been antsy and wanted nothing more than to leave. The petite blond suspected if she had not been the nurse or at least at the hospital Sam would have been a real pain in the ass as a patient.

Once they had made it to the room Abby had watched as her girlfriend had simply gone to the bed and sat down. The raven haired woman had made no effort to get undressed. After about ten minutes of nothing from the detective and the nurse took it upon herself to start undressing the woman she loved. When there was not even a comment about expecting anything or how much she loved it when she was undressed the petite blond knew that the other woman was in some kind of deep shock.

Abby continued to undress her lover until she was completely naked. It had not been very easy as Sam was not being the most cooperative when it came to helping by standing up or even rolling on the bed into a horizontal position. It had taken a total of fifteen minutes just to unclothe the tall lanky woman. If the circumstances were different it would have been very enjoyable. Even with the negativity of the day the nurse had to admit just touching the skin of her girlfriend stirred something deep inside of her both physically and emotionally.

The nurse sighed as she went through their things. She came across the outfit that she had purchased just for this weekend. Part of her hated not being able to use it. There was still time but she knew better. All the times that she worked the ER and saw the instant trauma of a rape victim to the time that she had been asked to testify at trial which usually was weeks if not months later and the continued pain and agony that was involved as well.

The petite blond had never been around anyone that had suffered such trauma years later with the exception of her girlfriend. And by that time Sam had pretty much dealt with it and the consequences pretty well. They had even been talking about taking over custody of Adam. But this was probably quite the setback as far as that was concerned. And to pile on top of it all the knowledge that she was the product of rape…

Abby sighed as she got the silk boxers and the worn T-shirt that Sam always wore at night. Slowly the nurse managed to get the detective into her night clothes. The dark hair was spilling across the pillow as finally she had managed to get the taller woman into sleeping position though she knew that sleep would not come easily for either one of them. Finally she got herself dressed in her own set of shorts and T-shirt. Carefully she got into bed next to her partner and wrapped the taller woman into a protective embrace.

Sam let out a breath she had not realized that she was holding. Part of her had been afraid to be touched that was how much of the painful memories had come flooding back and in such an overwhelming way. There was also the fact that she was the product of rape. That thought had gotten her wondering if the physicality that she enjoyed when sparring with her fellow police officers and when she had to take down a perp that was not cooperative stemmed from her violent beginnings.

There was a soft kiss that was placed on the back of her neck. Part of her wanted to smile and say that it was nice. But there was a larger part of her that wanted to say that she was not worthy of the love and tenderness of the woman that had her arms wrapped around her. But they had come so far in such a short time and in so many ways had to fight for what they had. The detective swore that she was going to do the best that she could not to throw away what she had been gifted.

The phone rang at that moment and she could feel the reluctance in her girlfriend's body to move away to answer it. From the tone she knew that it was her mother and though she was only half able to see she followed the petite form as she made her way out the double door onto the balcony. Sam managed to get herself into a sitting position as she stared after the blond woman that was becoming like oxygen for her. It scared her to think of her life if she did not have the support of her soulmate.

Though there were a lot of things that needed to be dealt with on so many levels there was only one thing that Sam could suddenly think about. More than ever she wished that she had brought the ring with her. It was all that she could think about now making that commitment that she had not dreamed about making sense she was in her teens. Funny how it was had been her younger self that had been ready to settle down. Then things happened and a part of her that she did not like came out.

It was not until the day that she was hurt and wheeled into the emergency room that her life changed for the better. In a way it was that simple chance meeting that caused the detective to finally become the person that she was destined to be. While not totally self-destructive before it was clear that she was not truly living before the nurse entered her life. And in some ways it felt that Abby was reentering her life. Like in a past life they had been together and it had made them whole. Now they were together again and they were whole again.

Sam wanted to go out and wrap her arms around the petite blond. Even with the little bit of light that was coming from the lamp by the bed the detective could still see outside. It appeared that it was snowing ever so lightly. It brought back a memory from a long time ago. One when she was only about five and Jeffry was three. Their father, well his father, had been home for once during the holiday. A Thanksgiving not unlike how this one had begun but stayed wonderful. Then the snow began to fall. Before anyone knew it they were snowed in and their father's return to active duty was delayed two whole days. They had so much fun making forts and snowmen. The snowball fights were legendary still.

A stray tear ran down her face at the thought of how happy her father, stepfather was. And then it hit her. What deep down she had already known but because of how raw the situation was it was too much of a positive thought to come to her conscious mind. And yet staring at the one person that she knew would never judge her, would never hurt her intentionally, would love her without end made her realize that she could and did deserve happiness.

_He loved me that day. I was only five and he knew and had known the entire time. My father was a good man that didn't judge and loved all with equal abandon. In a lot of ways he was like you my love. Is that why we found one another? So you could do for me what he had done while growing up? Loving me unconditionally though we are not truly related._ A smile formed on the dark haired woman's face while a handful of tears continued to fall.

But these tears were no longer tears of sadness. They were tears of joy. For she had realized that she had what almost everyone on the planet wants. They want to be loved unconditionally for their entire lives and she knew that looking down from heaven her real father was doing just that. He was loving her and he was loving the woman that had made her accept that she was worth being loved. It was a very wonderful feeling one that she wanted to share with her lover.

Sam stood and slowly started for the balcony only to come to a complete stop when the cool air hit her body. Abby had quickly made her way into the room. She was shivering and was rubbing her arms up and down one still with the phone in her hand. The nurse stopped in her tracks when she saw her partner standing there. The look upon the detective's face was unlike anything that she had ever seen before. Partly it worried her and partly it flattered her it was that complex.

The taller woman opens her wide and of course the smaller one took the offered invitation. Instead of just a hug Sam somehow managed to pick up the nurse. Out of instinct Abby put her arms around the neck of her soulmate wondering what this was about. Usually when this happened it means they were about to make love but seeing how emotional her girlfriend was she figured that it would not be a good thing and yet it was so appealing.

Without a word Sam carefully carried her bundle over to the bed. She placed the petite woman in the middle of the bed. For a moment she only stared longingly at the green eyed woman who was looking at her with a question on her face. Before Abby could say anything the detective sat on the edge of the bed and took both hands of her lover into her own strong hands. "I know that we both were subjected to some shocking and emotional news tonight."

The nurse was about to say something when the detective quickly continued. "I'm not good with words. We both know of the two of us you are the talker. I have never been known for dealing well with emotions." She reached out and gently stroked the blond woman's cheek. "But I realized something while you were out talking to I assume Mother." There was a nodding as Abby was too afraid to speak lest Sam stop speaking. "I realized that my father, and he was my father, loved me."

The slightly older woman swallowed hard as a lot of emotions were warring within her and trying to come to the forefront. It was hard to put into words exactly how she was feeling at the moment and the fact that she needed to be with Abby on an almost epic level. It was like she would die if they were unable to reconnect at that moment. To connect in the way that only two soulmates can. It's not about the physical feeling as much as it is about the emotional feelings.

"I realized that even though I was a product of hate," Sam now was stroking the lips that were trembling on her girlfriend's face. The softness and the obvious emotional struggle that not exactly mirrored her own but was still nonetheless just as potent penetrated to her very soul. "That just because hate was how I was created it does not mean that I'm not worthy of love. It does not mean that I can't be loved. In fact I think it means that I am lucky when I do know love for it means so much more to me than to most people. And I love you Abigail. I love you more than I can say. Allow me to show you just how much?"

The nurse wanted to object. Not to what her soulmate had said but to the need of more talking. From what little she had studied psychology and been around the mental ward at the hospital she knew that talking was the healthiest way to deal with an emotional upheaval. And yet looking into the loving blue eyes of her lover she simply knew. She knew that not only did Samantha need this like oxygen she also needed to feel something other than hate. Hate for her brother. Hate for the man that raped her mother. Hate for the man that raped her. There was far too much hate and love was the only way to fight the ill effects of the dark emotion.

Abby felt like there was no way of denying what her lover needed so much so the nurse began to gently kiss the digits that were still so reverently touching her lips. That got a half smile on Sam's face and a twinkle in her eyes. It was all the acceptance of the invitation that the detective had just pleaded for. She knew that her partner would never let her down. Oh there were times in their lives that they would not always see eye to eye but as long as they loved one another nothing else mattered.

"I love you, Abigail." Sam closed the remaining space between them. The kiss with which she initiated almost started a fire in the room it was so intense. Everything was poured into that single kiss by both women. It was full of all the emotions, both good and bad causing the lip lock to be one of the most powerful things that either had ever felt before. It was not simply just making love it was combining two souls with the experiences of their pasts, present and the future yet to come.

Sam aided in somehow intensifying the kiss by putting her free hand gently behind the nurse's head and guiding her closer. The detective was holding herself up by one elbow and began to moan as she felt one small hand entangle with her long black locks and the other hand begin to freely roam anywhere and everywhere. Both were wearing thinner tops and shorts and every touch was felt almost as if it was on exposed skin. It seemed that every touch, every taste and every breath seemed to intensify the moment.

Finally they had to break free for air. Eyes of green and of blue were afire with desire and with love. Though they had just begun the dance there was no stopping now. They needed to extinguish the flames before they totally consumed them both. It was only a matter of moments before they were both in their full glory. For a moment they just lay there next to one another their eyes taking in all that there was to see. There was a little scar on both inner thighs that Abby had always wondered about but knew that this was not the time.

Sam had herself now leaning both of her hands that were on either side of her girlfriend. While part of her just wanted to devour the smaller woman this time she wanted this to be a simultaneous expression of love. While Abby had one of her breast in her mouth the detective was massaging gently the entire perfect breast of her lover. It was almost like they were in sync in their movements as the nurse's teeth grazed across her nipple at the exact same moment a thumb was rubbing her erect nipple.

The raven haired beauty threw her head back. The simple ministrations that her lover was lavishing on first one breast and then the other were already driving her close to the edge. She had thought that the very first time that they had made love was intense. This right here had it beat about a million times over and they were just barely getting started. Her body was not sure how much more of the wondrous sensations it could handle. But she was determined to find out.

Suddenly she found herself on her back. Her blue eyes were looking into green ones that were so full of love it actually caused her to choke for a moment. The concerned look in her partner's eyes caused her to smile and to bring the smaller woman's head down so that they were in a power play inside of their mouths. Tongues were whipping around so fast that it was dizzying and it was a good thing that both of the women were lying down. There was no way that either woman could stand at this moment.

Abby broke the kiss and both women were panting now from both the lack of oxygen and from the growing desire that was building like lava builds before it explodes out of a volcano. The petite blond began to glide her smaller body over the longer one making sure that their breasts rubbed against one another and that their pulsating mounds also glided across one another. There was a heat and a slickness that was already pouring from both women.

The long arms of the detective managed to keep up with the smaller woman as she rubbed whatever part of the nurse's body that she could reach. Whether that was cupping her firm round buttocks or trailing her fingers along the spine or massaging the scalp of the head that was so near one moment and so far away the next. This went on for what seemed like hours but it was of course only several minutes. By this time there was a sheen of sweat covering both women's bodies.

When Abby did come to a rest it was so that they were lying breast to breast and they were sharing the same air. The heavy breathing told of exactly how physically turned on both women were but failed to really tell the story of the emotions that were being shared at the moment. Another kiss that would put all the other kisses in history to shame commenced. Finally they broke apart the detective nibbling on the shoulder at her reach and the nurse nibbling on the neck just at her reach.

Sam reached her arms around the nurse and pulled her entire body towards her. There was nothing between them anymore. Oh there were still little things here and there that they would discover about each other. But as far as emotionally goes these two had bared their souls for one another. There was nothing in the world that would ever break these two up. They may separate physically but not even in death would they ever truly be apart.

"I love you." They both whispered at the same time and could not help but laughing. It felt almost as good to laugh as it was the love making that they were engaging in. Just anything that was good and pure and that brought them closer together was just what they needed. Reluctant to stop the exploring Sam figured that it was finally time so she positioned them so that they were both on their sides and looking into one another's eyes.

Their lips came together as their free hands made their way to the promise land. Both women's legs parted willingly wanting and needing this more than words could say. After entering one another and both gasping at the wealth of both heat and moisture they found the couple settled into a nice and slow rhythm wanting to get as much out every sensation that was humanly possible. For a short period of time they simply stared into one another's eyes absorbing everything that was being shared between the two lovers.

It wasn't long before the lips were meeting once again. It helped build the already building explosion that was not far off now. It was probably the intenseness of the day that was helping to build up their experience a little more quickly than usual but they really didn't care. All the two people cared about was that they were together and that they were sharing their souls with one another. They were truly linked forever.

As the volcano was about to erupt Sam made sure that their mouths were still locked in an amazing kiss. It was not because she was embarrassed to be heard in her mother's bed and breakfast. It was because it helped in both the intensity and the closeness of the moment. The orgasm hit with a vengeance and their bodies shook and not even their mouths enclosed around one another could muffle the sounds. The screams echoed throughout the large building.

Carefully the two women pulled their fingers out from one another. Normally both would greedily lick the juices off their fingers wanting to taste the other woman. But for some reason it was just not necessary. It was as if they were inside of one another still at that very moment and everything that they did was now in tandem. They were breathing in unison and they were smiling in unison. They simply laid back and covered themselves with the layers of blankets as the coolness of the air hit their sweat drenched bodies.

"That was…" Abby was at a loss for words. While their actual love making was no different than other times they had made love it was somehow so different that she could not quite put into words exactly what it was that they had shared. "I can't even describe how you made me feel. Thank you." Her head was resting gently on the still heaving chest of her lover. Her hand was under the blankets and tracing lazy little figure eights and hearts on the taught stomach muscles.

"No, thank you." Sam managed somehow to lean down and kiss the now darkened tendrils that were just within reach of her lips. "I agree. That was the most amazing thing." She chuckled softly. Reality was sure to hit some time before morning but for now she was going to keep clinging to the emotional and physical feelings that she was still allowing to flow throughout her entire body. "I sometimes wonder how I ever lived without you. I guess I wasn't."

"I know what you mean." Abby's hand had yet to still and was she was enjoying the feel of the soft skin beneath her fingertips. "I think I've said it before but I was just going through the motions." Her voice took on a reflective tone. "I was trapped in a loveless marriage. My family was nowhere in sight. The only thing I really had was my job and Emily's friendship. Other than that it just felt so empty my life. And then this tall dark and gorgeous woman enters my life. Who knew how you would turn everything upside down." She managed to position herself so that she was looking into blue eyes. "I thank God or whatever it was that brought you into my life."

"It goes without saying that I feel the same way." Sam closed her eyes after Abby had laid her head back down. She simply wanted to just take all these emotions and memorize them. This was how every day should start and every day end. They needed to show one another just how much they loved one another. The detective sighed at the thought. There would be times when that was not possible. But for now she vowed right then and there to not let anything or anyone tear them apart.

She tried not to but images of what had happened in the dining room flowed through her head. Unable to stop it her body stiffened. Strong arms wrapped around her in comfort and allowed her to relax almost fully. It was an image of her older brother that floated in her mind. It was an image that she would use as a mental dart board. It wasn't even that her brother had told the truth. It was actually better that she knew. It was the way he had gone about it. _You'll get yours in the end someday little man. Even if it has to be me that is the one that does it._


End file.
